Akinwale Arobieke
September 12, 2016 1:39 PM   Subscribe

The man who squeezes muscles - "Across the North West, Akinwale Arobieke has become a modern-day bogeyman and an internet sensation, and now a court order that curtailed his activities has been lifted ... For years, stories about this bogeyman swirled around Merseyside. The tales varied, but they agreed on certain key details - that he was huge and that he liked to feel young men’s muscles. Sometimes he would measure them too. Parents would tell their children not to stay out after dark or Aki would get them. " [BBC - Apologies for the format, I know some people on here don't like it - if so, complain to the BBC!]
posted by marienbad (22 comments total) 6 users marked this as a favorite
 
This reminds me of the guy who liked to jump on high school athletes' backs. I remember a documentary and (probably) a mefi post. It was pretty disturbing.
posted by AFABulous at 1:49 PM on September 12, 2016


My recollection is that this guy was rumoured to do something similar. There were a lot of rumours about him when I was a teenager, since his first incidents were in my home town.
posted by biffa at 2:15 PM on September 12, 2016


> Apologies for the format, I know some people on here don't like it

Actually, I think they've used it quite cleverly here. Thanks for posting, this is rather interesting.
posted by Too-Ticky at 2:37 PM on September 12, 2016 [3 favorites]


I knew someone similar in the San Francisco Bay Area rave scene. He was about 30 years older than the average age of the crowd. He'd have some line about doing "energy work" that he'd use on persons that always seemed to be young men. Eventually after having a guy do a few relatively harmless exercises he'd convince the guy to do squats while he rode piggyback. Two things I'm thankful for from the encounter - there were two of us in the room with him, so I wasn't alone, and I found out that I'm good for about one squat with a full grown man on my back.
posted by King Sky Prawn at 2:46 PM on September 12, 2016 [3 favorites]


It's interesting that the article suggests that, legally, the same behavior that is acceptable if it's done by a bodybuilder with an interest in muscular development is criminal if it's done with a sexual interest. The crucial point is not, as I would have assumed, what someone has done, but why they did it.
posted by layceepee at 2:57 PM on September 12, 2016 [1 favorite]


The crucial point is not, as I would have assumed, what someone has done, but why they did it.

That's the case in nearly all criminal law.
posted by ryanrs at 3:06 PM on September 12, 2016 [2 favorites]


I have a whole confusing jumble of thoughts about this, some of which I think come from memories of being an awkward kid who sprouted into her large frame early, and being warned by parents/coaches to play team sports extra respectfully because as a tall, black, kid, playing against smaller white kids, I was more likely to draw fouls for the same behavior.

So, I wish Arobieke had gotten the help he needed to keep his compulsions under control long ago, certainly before a kid died out of fear from him. And I wish that he lived in a less racist (and to be honest less homophobic) place where his requests would have been just rebuffed by those not interested, as opposed to the victims feeling coerced.

And maybe, if all that had happened, Arobieke could have actually made real friends who didn't mind engaging the way he liked and his actually harassing activities (stalking, threatening, etc.) might not have happened.

But they did happen, and he wrecked lives. And he seems to still have his compulsions. And it's not like his reputation as a "bogeyman" (or racism, for that matter) will ever die. So people fear him... and the cycle continues.
posted by sparklemotion at 3:23 PM on September 12, 2016 [3 favorites]


That's the case in nearly all criminal law.

I don't think that's the case when we aren't talking about intent but motive. I understand that mens rea is typically required for a criminal conviction, but I think this is quite different.

Can you give other examples where you think the motive for behavior determines whether it's criminal?
posted by layceepee at 3:29 PM on September 12, 2016


Purple Aki wikipedia

Should we laugh at purple aki?

posted by lalochezia at 3:41 PM on September 12, 2016 [1 favorite]


Can you give other examples where you think the motive for behavior determines whether it's criminal?

The "criminal" behavior in question for the past decade or so (especially the 2015 conviction) appears to be violation of the Sopo. The Sopo is a civil order, put in place under the belief that the motive for the behavior was sexual.

So, if the motive was never sexual, the Sopo should never have been in place*, so the judge is treating it kind of as if no crime was committed. (it's kind of like jury nullification where the jury refuses to convict because the criminal law itself was unjust).

*I'm torn in how I feel about this, but I can understand why the law works this way.
posted by sparklemotion at 3:42 PM on September 12, 2016 [2 favorites]


That's a really helpful analysis, sparklemotion.
posted by layceepee at 3:52 PM on September 12, 2016 [2 favorites]


I used to know a woman who would do a lot of the same things, going up to young men, asking them to flex, and fondling their biceps, but she was a small older white lady, so I don't think it occurred to anyone to be afraid of her, and I don't remember anyone ever telling her it was inappropriate or anything. She was pretty clear about her motives being sexual.

It is creepy behavior, and it does make people uncomfortable, and several of those stories are legitimately scary, but it sounds as though a lot of the reactions have to do with who he was. Because he's a big black man and not a small white lady.
posted by ernielundquist at 4:10 PM on September 12, 2016 [2 favorites]


Ernielundquist, I'm sure that there's an element of racism in all this, but his actions are potentially more threatening than those of a small woman because he is powerful and imposing. As can be seen by the fact that people literally run away from his advances, rather than just telling him to cut it out.
posted by Joe in Australia at 5:56 PM on September 12, 2016


I knew someone similar in the San Francisco Bay Area rave scene. He was about 30 years older than the average age of the crowd. He'd have some line about doing "energy work" that he'd use on persons that always seemed to be young men.

Was he perchance also a member of the old-school hacker scene? Not a personal encounter here but reminiscent of stories I've heard and I'm pretty sure the guy (John "Cap'n Crunch" Draper) was part of the rave scene at one point.
posted by atoxyl at 6:48 PM on September 12, 2016 [1 favorite]


Wait, the hacking payphones guy? Was not aware of that part of the mythos.
posted by Ferreous at 7:05 PM on September 12, 2016


I was thinking of Alexia Massalin; here's an old Wired article about her, pre-transition.
posted by Halloween Jack at 7:34 PM on September 12, 2016


Wait, the hacking payphones guy? Was not aware of that part of the mythos.

Yeah it came up on MeFi pretty recently actually but I heard stories on other tech fora previously. "Energy workout" is definitely a line people attribute to him so if there's another guy who matches the description that's - weirder still?
posted by atoxyl at 8:33 PM on September 12, 2016 [1 favorite]


Not the first Purple Aki mention on Metafilter.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 9:25 PM on September 12, 2016


There's also a ton of Purple Aki related content on YouTube. This one is my favourite.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 9:31 PM on September 12, 2016 [1 favorite]


I deliberately didn't use the "Purple Aki" nickname as Mr Arobieke feels it is a racist designation, so am surprised to see it used in the thread.
posted by marienbad at 7:41 AM on September 13, 2016 [2 favorites]


Can I feel your muscles though?
posted by PeterMcDermott at 4:31 PM on September 13, 2016 [1 favorite]


There's a cultural studies dissertation in this for someone.
posted by yellowcandy at 10:27 PM on September 14, 2016


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