The incident was captured on camera and has since gone viral on social media, sparking a debate over filming strangers for online content and the behaviour of IRL (in real life) streamers. Canadian Kick streamer John Ly, known online as JohnWhatsGoingOn, was slapped by an Indian man inside a 7-Eleven store in Saigon, Vietnam, during a livestream after a heated confrontation.
The incident was captured on camera and has since gone viral on social media, sparking a debate over filming strangers for online content and the behaviour of IRL (in real life) streamers.
Ly, however, continued recording and engaging with the men. The exchange became increasingly heated, with the streamer making provocative remarks during the confrontation. At one point, Ly appears to tell one of the men, “This is not New Delhi. The man responds by again asking him to stop filming and keep the camera away. The argument continues as the men accuse Ly of provoking them for content. The men also appear to push Ly towards the exit while repeatedly saying, “Keep the camera away. The confrontation then turns physical when another man approaches Ly and slaps him while the livestream is still running. Some posts also accused him of making racial remarks. However, these claims could not be independently verified. The video has attracted millions of views and prompted mixed reactions online. Many viewers criticised Ly for continuing to film after being repeatedly asked to stop, arguing that IRL streamers should respect strangers’ boundaries even when recording in public. One user wrote, “He himself is a Filipino/Asian and being racist to an Indian, not really cool. And I don’t support any kind of violence or physical altercation. The incident has also renewed debate over the growing popularity of IRL livestreaming, where creators broadcast interactions with strangers to large online audiences.
Posts shared online on October 4 claimed that Ly had been filming or bothering the men for around 20 minutes before the slap.
Ly was livestreaming inside the convenience store when he turned his camera towards two Indian men, according to the video circulating online . One of the men repeatedly asked him not to film him without his consent and told him to keep the camera away. One of them tells the streamer that he is “monetising hate” and asks him to leave the store. Ly continues filming as the argument carries on and later appears to say, “No one likes Indians out here,” before leaving the store. Others said that while Ly’s behaviour appeared provocative, responding with physical violence was unnecessary and escalated the confrontation. Another said, “Initially, I was supporting the Vietnam streamer in the video, but after watching the entire video and hearing two words in the last part of the video, I would rather support those two Indian brothers more.
