CHIANG MAI police arrested two teengagers who are members of the Caesar gang for attacking a resident at night in imitation of the survival thriller Squid Game that is a smash hit on Netflix, Amarin TV said today (Oct. 12).
Pol. Lt. Gen. Piya Tawichai, head of Provincial Police Region 5, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Tawatchai Pongwiwattanachai, head of Chiang Mai provincial police, together with police investigators announced the arrest of two teenage boys, Oat, 17, and Bam, 16, both from Lamphun province and members of the Caesar gang there. They face charges of physically harming and causing mental anguish to another person or threatening to do so, causing chaos and burglary.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Piya said the arrest stems from an attack on October 9 whereby the teens attacked the victim at his home after roaming back and forth in front of his residence in simulation of one of six games in this series.
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Four others, Palm, Frank, Boy and Mark, all under 20 years of age, are also being investigated. They have admitted to being present during the attack but did not themselves harm the victim.
The victim too confirmed that it was the two arrested teenagers who attacked him.
Police warned parents that if they do not keep a close eye on their children and allow them to commit such crimes they too face legal action.
Meanwhile British youngsters are now asking teachers to play games featured in the South Korean series, which sees hundreds of debt-ridden contestants embarking on survival tasks – masked as popular playground games – for a huge cash prize, Bristolpost.co.uk said.
The show title comes from a Korean schoolyard game where children run towards a finish line when “green light” is called out, then freeze if “red light” is shouted – any players caught moving are eliminated.
But in the controversial series, currently Netflix’s most watched show in 90 countries, players who are caught moving are shot dead.
Nearly all episodes of the new hit show contain violent and gruesome scenes, with some schools now telling parents to monitor what their children are watching for fear of copycat attacks.
One dad said his children’s school in Ilford, east London, warned parents in a letter about kids playing their own version of Squid Game and that parents could be sanctioned over it, the Mirror reports.
He tweeted: “Can’t believe my kids’ school has had to send a letter telling parents that kids are playing their own version of Squid Game and that parents will have sanctions applied if their kids mimic Squid Game.
“The popularity of this show is next level.”
In Deal, Kent, Sandown School issued extra lessons on violence and online harm as a response to the show’s popularity.
A spokeswoman for the school said Key Stage 2 teachers have given their pupils extra lessons on online safety and the dangers of watching content that is “not age appropriate”.
She said: “We are always updating our advice to the parents and children, it’s something we are constantly updating.
“As a response to this show and others we have put on extra lessons about violence and online harms.”
Squid Game has been rated appropriate for viewers aged 15 and older and Netflix gives a series of content warnings including sex, violence and suicide.
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Top: A scene from “Squid Game” on Netflix. Image: Youngkyu Park / Netflix and published by Nbcnews.com
Home Page: Squid Game looks set to become Netflix’s most-watched show worldwide. Image: Netflix and published by BBC
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