Two arrested for jumping into monkey enclosure in memecoin stunt

Two members of a self-proclaimed memecoin “cult” have been arrested after jumping into the enclosure of Punch the monkey, a popular simian at Ichikawa Zoo. The incident appears to be part of a $1 million viral content competition.

Twenty-four-year-old Reid Jahnai Daysun scaled the zoo fence while 27-year-old Neal Jabahri Duan filmed the stunt. Zoo staff quickly escorted Daysun out, and both were arrested for obstructing zoo operations.

The memecoin competition connection

The stunt seems linked to a competition run by the team behind $MEMECOIN, a token that calls itself “the coin that doesn’t need an introduction.” The contest offers $1 million for viral content, encouraging participants to generate buzz in hopes of pumping the coin’s price. Creators can claim a free Memecoin suit, similar to the one Daysun wore, and are told to “ignite the algorithm with viral chaos.”

The competition’s description says, “Our million-dollar war chest awaits the most daring, creative, and devastatingly viral content created.” It seems to explicitly reward risky behavior, though the organizers deny responsibility for illegal acts.

Memecoin’s official X account later responded, claiming they are “endlessly grateful for the cult we have built together” but want members to respect laws and avoid risk to themselves, others, or animals. The account also defended the pair, saying no monkey was harmed and that the “sole intention was to give Punch a fresh new teddy bear.” This interpretation conveniently ignores that the duo were trying to win money. The account offered 1 million yen (around $6,000) to the zoo but issued no apology.

A community note on the post pointed out that Japanese laws on building intrusion and business obstruction were likely violated.

Zoo responds with tighter security

Ichikawa Zoo has filed a damage report with police and announced plans to expand the restriction area around the enclosure, install nets, and hire more patrol staff. The zoo says no abnormalities have been seen in the monkeys and is considering an outright ban on filming at Punch’s enclosure.

The drama also pulled in crypto influencer Ansem, whose real name is Zion Thomas. He was mistakenly accused because he looks vaguely like the person in the monkey suit. Ansem denied involvement, noting he was in New York on the Q train at the time. He said, “I’ve caught a lot of strays on this app but getting accused of abusing a monkey in a Tokyo zoo while I’m on the Q Train is definitely a new one.”

Punch first went viral last February when he was filmed bonding with an IKEA plushie. That led to the creation of a $PUNCH memecoin, which saw a brief run to a $43 million market cap. The token has gained about 20% after this latest stunt but is still down 94% from its peak.

Memecoin-related stunts often push boundaries. People have set themselves on fire, faked crashes of private jets, or trespassed on the Hollywood sign in attempts to generate hype. This incident is just the latest example of how far some will go for internet fame—and maybe a payday.

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