Bridge ‘jump’ worries Lifeline
An online page urging people to jump off the Auckland Harbour Bridge has prompted a warning from a national suicide prevention group.
The September 11 event, ‘‘Pop a Manu off the Harbour Bridge for Harambe,’’ was created in memory of the silverback gorilla shot dead at Cincinnati Zoo in March and has attracted interest from thousands of people.
‘‘Manu’’ is popular Kiwi slang for bombing into water.
A disclaimer on the page described the event ‘‘as a tonguein-cheek joke’’.
‘‘If you want to take it seriously, you are doing so on your own accord and agree to not hold the creator of this Facebook event page responsible.
‘‘Jumping off of a bridge would likely result in injury or death, so don’t do it.’’
A similar fake event centred on the Sydney Harbour Bridge reached more than 18,000 people.
However, Lifeline Aotearoa warned that suicide was nothing to joke about.
Chief executive Jo Demvir said the event could act as a trigger for people with suicidal thoughts.
‘‘I don’t think suicide is a place we should be using tongue-incheek,’’ said Demvir.
‘‘There’s people who are laughing about it or making a joke but there are people who are vulnerable.
‘‘They could be people thinking about suicide . . . or people going through a grieving process from losing someone to suicide.’’
Demvir said another concern was the event resonated with a younger audience who were more at risk.
‘‘It’s even more concerning for young people to promote . . . younger people who are at a huge risk could be triggered easily.’’
You’ve got to go through the motions to find out what you want to do. I didn’t know until later on, when I got the itch for welding.