Two Americans Arrested For Breaking Into Punch The Monkey's Zoo Enclosure

Two American men have been arrested in Japan after one broke into the Ichikawa City Zoo enclosure, home to baby Punch, a monkey that went viral on social media earlier this year. Reid Jahnai Daysun, 24, jumped the fence to enter the enclosure while Neal Jabahri Duan, 27, filmed the incident, prompting the police in the Tokyo suburb of Chiba to detain both of them. Video clips of the incident show Daysun, wearing a blue suit with a smiling emoji head, climbing into the enclosure.

Daysun's strange outfit appeared to be a reference to the emoji typically used to promote “memecoin” cryptocurrencies. He was also seen carrying a stuffed toy, according to a report in the New York Post. The men did not come in contact with Punch or the other monkeys before being apprehended by the security.

Ichikawa City Zoo said on Monday that it had filed a damage report with the police and was putting countermeasures in place to prevent future incidents. Both men now face charges of forcible obstruction of business, which they deny.

“We apologise for the concern caused by yesterday's intrusion into the monkey enclosure,” the zoo said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). “No abnormalities were observed among the animals.

“We filed a police report with the Ichikawa Police Station last night. From tomorrow onwards, we will continue to prioritise the safety and health of the animals and take appropriate measures, while strictly addressing any rule violations.”

【侵入事件について①】
昨日のサル山内への侵入事件について、
ご心配をおかけし申し訳ありません。
動物たちに異状は見られません。
昨夜市川警察署に被害届を提出しました。

明日からも動物たちの安全と健康を
第一に考えて対策を進めつつ、
ルール違反には厳しく対処いたします。…

— 市川市動植物園（公式） (@ichikawa_zoo) May 18, 2026

An unidentified man breached the enclosure today, triggering chaos and panic throughout the troop. Alarm barks echoed across the zoo as Punch and his troop scattered in fear, climbing, screaming, and fleeing for safety. Zookeeper rushed to respond as stunned visitors watched in… pic.twitter.com/zUItUjxhnk

— Human Owned by Cat 😺 (@Petswithaura) May 17, 2026

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Punch's Popularity

Punch became an internet sensation in February after the zoo posted photos of him with a large orangutan plush toy when he was rejected by his mother. Punch's early attempts to fit in failed as other monkeys either ignored him or behaved violently. Punch's only comfort was his plush toy that a member of staff gifted him as a tool for muscle building and maternal replacement.

As Punch's story went viral, tourists from around the world started visiting the Japanese zoo to catch a glimpse of the little macaque. The zoo also addressed claims that Punch was being bullied by the aggressive macaques, adding that monkeys follow a strict social hierarchy where dominant monkeys use "disciplining actions" toward subordinates.