At least one young person has filed a report with Quebec police after suffering a “comma game” attack, a TikTok challenge that involves violent blows to the neck or back of the head. Other Quebec students have also fallen victim to this viral phenomenon, in secondary school but also in elementary school, parents say.
Posted at 5:26 p.m.
“As he walked down the steps to his dinner, his head was shaken like this – backwards four times. He showed me the gesture, it was pretty strong,” says a father from Quebec who asked us not to publish details that would allow his son to be identified.
The latter is in secondary level 1, while the attacker identified by a surveillance camera would be in secondary level 2. Two weeks earlier, the same student allegedly “pretended to attack my boy and the others filmed and laughed.” [Le but] probably to film his fear reaction.”
A police officer promised to meet the victim soon, but the father wonders whether he would advise his son to press charges.
One of my fears is that if we act too hard and have consequences, they will confront my young people afterwards. It’s truly a heartbreaking decision!
Father of a victim
At least one other victim of the comma “game” contacted the Quebec City Police Service (SPVQ). ” A complaint [a été] “A criminal complaint has officially been filed in connection with this phenomenon,” a spokesman confirmed on Thursday.
The Montreal City Police Service (SPVM) recently alerted its officers to the risks of this “comma game” or “Houlisday,” stressing that it “can cause, among other things, serious damage to the cervical spine.”
Even in elementary school
The SPVM received a complaint about this issue in mid-October, a case from an elementary school student in which “a doctor had been consulted,” stated SPVM spokeswoman Caroline Labelle.
“Basically it stays one [dossier de] So if there’s no additional information mentioned or that context isn’t there, we don’t necessarily know. So there could have been others,” Ms Labelle said.
Another six-year-old Montreal student was hit in the back of the head by an older student this week, his father told us.
The child’s teacher said she “knew that the phenomenon was widespread in the second cycle, but not in very young children” and “that the school takes it very seriously,” said the father, who did not wish to be named.
Several cases of injuries to children and teenagers who fell victim to this viral challenge have been reported in the media in France and elsewhere in Europe. Some young people required medical treatment and their parents reported the incident to the police.