Over twenty content creators were arrested on Tuesday, January 21, in Nairobi following several complaints from members of the public regarding harassment and indecent attacks.
According to reports, the suspects were apprehended by officers from Pangani Police Station after residents raised concerns about their conduct in Eastleigh, Pangani, and Muthaiga areas.
The arrested TikTokers are accused of deliberately targeting pedestrians, particularly women and girls, while recording videos for social media.
Police say the group would approach unsuspecting members of the public from behind, touching them inappropriately, causing disturbances, and startling them, all in the name of creating content.
The videos, which were subsequently uploaded online to attract views and engagement, sparked widespread outrage across social media platforms.
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In the footage, young men can be seen accosting pedestrians on busy streets, with their actions ranging from inappropriate physical contact to frightening unsuspecting victims.
Authorities confirmed that the suspects will be arraigned in court on Wednesday to face various charges related to harassment and illegal recording of individuals without consent.
Last year in November, Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris raised an alarm over similar incidents after a viral video showed young men harassing girls while claiming to create content.
In her statement at the time, Passaris denounced the behavior as an abuse of social media platforms and questioned the safety of young women subjected to such ordeals.
The lawmaker had called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to take immediate action against perpetrators, warning that assaulting others under the pretense of content creation would not be tolerated.
"I am calling on the DCI Kenya to apprehend these boys immediately. Let this serve as a warning to anyone who assaults another person, especially under the guise of content creation. Enough is enough," she added.
Police have now confirmed that investigations into the arrested suspects are ongoing and have issued a stern warning to content creators.
