A viral video showing a basketball coach forcing a pupil to slap himself in front of others at a Hong Kong school has sparked concern from a child protection group, which warns the act could cause physical injury and emotional harm.
In a video circulating on social media platform Threads on Tuesday, three men in white T-shirts are seen standing around a boy on a school playground in broad daylight, surrounded by other students wearing basketball jerseys.
The man in the middle first takes a jacket from the boy’s hand and throws it to the ground, before grabbing the boy’s left hand and using it to slap his left cheek three times in quick succession.
After a brief pause, and without releasing the boy’s hand, the man slaps the boy’s cheek three more times with his own left hand, with the force visibly moving the boy’s hair.
He then releases the boy’s hand and gestures towards him, prompting the boy to slap his own right cheek once with his right hand.
The man continues speaking to the boy for a few more seconds before the video ends.
