TikTok ‘idiot’ slammed for viral video of Brisbane river gag

Police are hunting for a man who threw an electric scooter into the Brisbane River and posted video of the stunt on TikTok, gaining more than 10,000 likes on the platform but also receiving widespread backlash. SEE THE VIDEO

Police are searching for a man who threw an electric scooter into the Brisbane River for TikTok followers in a move that’s disappointed the Brisbane community and the marshals whose job it is to fish devices from the water.

A video of the vandalism believed to be filmed on the Victoria Bridge garnered more than 10,000 likes and 1000 comments.

But it wasn’t received well by Brisbane residents, with dozens of reports made to the e-scooter operator Beam.

A man throws a scooter into the Brisbane River.

“We were made aware of the video almost as soon as it was posted, with riders and community members from Brisbane and all over Australia and New Zealand writing in to us, condemning the act of vandalism,” a Beam spokeswoman said in a statement.

“Some even offered assistance with tracking down the vandals.”

The TikTok showed the masked-man hurling the purple scooter off the middle of the bridge while others watched on, filming.

The creator has since deleted the video but not before it was shared by others in reaction videos.

“Why would you do that?” one wrote while another said, “everyone share and get this idiot fined in Brisbane”.

TikTok footage of a man throwing a scooter into the Brisbane River.

Their sentiment was shared by Beam marshal Tristan Teller who is tasked with fishing the occasional e-scooter out of the river.

“Very rarely am I surprised by where someone has left a scooter but it’s usually after a Saturday night when someone has decided to take the scooter where it’s not supposed to go,” Mr Teller said.

“In the early hours of a morning at first light we might be seen with grappling hooks, pulling the scooters out of the river.”

TikTok footage of a man throwing a scooter into the Brisbane River.

Beam’s Brisbane City manager Pieter van Heerden said it was rare that the e-scooters didn’t make it back to his team thanks to preventive measures such as geofencing which slows and stops riders in high-risk areas.

“Some incidents are unavoidable, in that these guys have carried the scooter quite a fair distance,” Mr van Heerden said.

“They clearly think it’s funny and have done it for the followers.

“But it’s very encouraging to see just how much of the Brisbane community has come out saying they don’t stand for this.”

Marshals patrol the city 24 hours a day on the lookout for anti-social behaviour and rogue scooters.

Mr van Heerden said they find scooters in the river by viewing where the GPS clocked out and waiting until low tide.

He was hopeful community tips would help police locate the man in the TikTok video.

“People shouldn't underestimate how much CCTV is around Brisbane and how ready the community is follow up on this sort of behaviour,” Mr van Heerden said.

Charges are yet to be laid.

“Police are looking at CCTV provided, to try and identify the offender,” a police spokeswoman said.