JASON RUSSELL, THE creator of the Kony2012 video which has gone viral across the globe was hospitalised yesterday, suffering from exhaustion, dehydration and malnutrition, according to the Invisible Children organisation.
In a comment on the group’s Facebook page, CEO Ben Keesey said he is receiving medical care and is “focused on getting better.”
The 33-year-old co-founder of Invisible Children was detained by San Diego police for being drunk, vandalising cars and masturbating in public on Thursday.
NBC San Diego reports that he was detained in Pacific Beach while “possibly under the influence of something”.
“Due to the nature of the detention, he was not arrested,” said police. “During the evaluation we learned we probably needed to take him to a medical facility because of statements he was saying.”
He was reportedly wearing only underwear when taken into police custody.
Keesey claimed the past two weeks have taken a “severe emotional toll on all of us, Jason especially”.
“That toll manifested itself in an unfortunate incident yesterday,” he explained. “Jason’s passion and his work have done so much to help so many, and we are devastated to see him dealing with this personal health issue. We will always love and support Jason, and we ask that you give his entire family privacy during this difficult time.”
Police confirmed that no criminal charges are pending.
Russell’s viral video, which has been watched almost 80 million times on YouTube alone, urges people to make the alleged Ugandan war criminal Joseph Kony ‘famous’ in order to bring him to the International Criminal Court.
The campaign was criticised by others who have followed the crisis in the east African country for decades. They say it glosses over the complicated history of Uganda.
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