Happy slapping

Happy slapping is a trend in which innocent people are hurt, for no apparent reason. Most of the time, happy slapping is done in groups. One person in the group will hit an innocent person, while another films the onset. In English-speaking countries, the crime is usually deemed assault. In some cases, the victims are beaten to unconsciousness, or even killed. Mostly, the name is used for small acts of violence such as hitting or jumping on the victim, but the media has also used it for more serious crimes such as murder, rape, and sexual assault.

Happy slapping began in South London, particularly the London Borough of Lewisham. The first use was as Slap Happy TV, where many people would watch and judge the exploit of a happy slapper.