Two Americans faced arrest in Japan on Sunday. The incident occurred after one individual entered a monkey enclosure at Ichikawa City Zoo. This is where Punch, a baby macaque, gained global internet fame earlier this year.
According to a statement shared with CBS News’ partner network TBS News, the Ichikawa Police Department identified the suspects. Twenty-four-year-old Reid Jahnai Dayson was reportedly a university student. Neal Jabahri Duan, 27, described himself as a singer. Images on social media seemed to show a person, reportedly Dayson, climbing over a fence into the dry moat around the monkey exhibit. This act prompted the animals to scatter.
Dayson wore a costume with a smiley face head. Duan allegedly filmed the event. Zoo officials quickly apprehended both men. The Ichikawa Police confirmed that the men stayed away from the animals. Facing charges of forcible obstruction of business, the suspects deny any wrongdoing. Initially, they lacked identification and attempted to provide false names to the police.
Following the incident, Ichikawa Zoo took immediate action. They announced on their X account that access to the enclosure would be restricted starting Tuesday. This includes the installation of “intrusion prevention nets” and the initiation of permanent patrols. The zoo also considered banning video recording at the site.
No harm came to the animals after the situation, reassured the zoo. Despite the disruption, Punch continues to attract attention. The little macaque garnered internet fame through images showing him with an IKEA plush orangutan. His story began in July when he was born and rejected by his mother. Raised in an artificial environment, he now trains to join his troop.
Japan has seen increased tourists in recent years. Residents occasionally criticize foreigners’ poor behavior. Recently, a Ukrainian YouTuber was detained for livestreaming in a Fukushima exclusion zone. An American content creator named Johnny Somali faced arrest in 2023 for trespassing at a construction site.