Body stapling: A cry for help or silly bragging rights? It does happen in Hong Kong, but among troubled youth

The act has been in the spotlight recently due to a political case of alleged kidnap and torture, but a bizarre trend already exists as documented online, and for others, it is a form of self-harm

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Howard Lam shows his wounds at a press conference. Photo: Felix Wong

Published: 2:15pm, 15 Aug 2017Updated: 12:48pm, 28 Sep 2017

The most startling pieces of “evidence” produced by Hong Kong activist Howard Lam Tsz-kin during his account of how he was allegedly abducted and abused by mainland Chinese agents were the rows of bloodied crosses made by staples punched into his thighs.

At a press conference, Lam hitched up his bermudas to show 21 staples driven into the flesh, which he said were the handiwork of his torturers. They had done the crosses because he was well-known for sharing his Christian faith on his Facebook account, he said.

Lam was arrested early on Tuesday morning for misleading the police about his abduction, and investigations are under way.

On Monday, executive councillor and former pro-democracy legislator Ronny Tong Ka-wah said he had seen a viral video of overseas teenagers stapling their bodies, prompting him to ask if Lam’s injuries had been inflicted by copycats.

Screen capture from a ‘staple challenge’ video. Photo: Handout

An online check shows the painful practice is not only an act of self-harm performed by troubled individuals, but also a bizarre feat relished by extreme thrill-seekers.