VANCOUVER — They are described in the video caption as a group of “bro” type “idiots” from Vancouver. Once the camera starts rolling, it becomes pretty clear why.
The video, posted online on Monday at the media site LiveLeak.com, captures a group of unidentified young men encouraging another man, who appears to be homeless, to light his hair on fire.
The alleged actions appear to have taken place in Gastown on Sunday evening, according to details attached to the video, which was posted under the title “Crackhead Lights Hair on Fire.”
In the video, a voice coming from behind the camera can be heard telling the man to “do it, do it.” The man, ignites the lighter, cups the flame behind his hand, and then puts the flame to his hair.
“All of it, all of it!” a voice shouts from behind the camera as the man’s hair goes up in flames.
“Yeah, burn it, get it good!” yells another voice.
“You aren’t doing it,” another voice says.
Much of the man’s hair is on fire before one of the other young men tells him to “stop burning it.”
Meantime, laughter can be heard coming from behind the camera.
“Dude, dude, don’t burn your hair!” a young man says, his face appearing briefly on camera.
“Stop burning it, I will give you this. I will give you this for free,” he adds, handing the man, whose hair is no longer on fire but still smoking, a cigarette.
Release of the video ignited an online firestorm, with hundreds of comments condemning the men for their alleged actions.
It’s not the first time a video has surfaced in Vancouver of people taking advantage of homeless people.
In February, a video was posted of a man who allegedly paid a homeless man $50 to let him kick the man in the groin.
