Man charged after allegedly failing to comply with police directions after ‘performance stunt’ on Sydney light rail
A teenager has been criticized for performing “dangerous” stunts on Sydney public transport after he was arrested for allegedly disobeying police following one of his “performance art” acts.
A 19-year-old who goes by the name “Joshua Cherub” online has called himself the “prince of City Hall” on his Instagram page, which has more than 10,000 followers.
His account includes videos of his “performance art”, in which he is taped to a pillar in the city’s CBD and covered in paint.
In another, he lay suspended from the overhead railing of a Sydney train by duct tape as bystanders touched his face and armpits.
He also covered himself in green paint and jumped around with others who were also painted green in another video uploaded to social media.
An alleged demonstration posted online by the teen showing him being duct-taped to a chair in the city as officers dragged the chair and began removing the tape led to his arrest and charge.
A NSW Police spokesman said officers on patrol in the city on the evening of October 10 saw a large group of people on the light rail at the junction of George St and Bathurst St, where a 19-year-old man was tied up with tape and sitting in a chair.
Officers dispersed the group due to safety concerns, but the 19-year-old allegedly did not comply with police instructions.
He was charged with failure/refusal to comply with instructions and is expected to appear in preliminary court on November 19.
NSW Transport Minister John Graham slammed the behavior, claiming it went beyond “harmless fun”.
“It may seem like harmless fun, but stunts like this are dangerous on a moving vehicle or platform,” Mr Graham said in a statement. “They also put other passengers and our staff at risk of harm.
“If the aim is to be on display, people should know that the Rail Operations Center has 24/7 CCTV across the network and works closely with Police Transport Command to target and deter anti-social and reckless behaviour.”
Mr Graham added that most people wanted to get around safely and on time and did not want to “be a figurehead in someone’s attempt to gain a following on social media”.
NewsWire has contacted Mr. “Cherub” for comment.
