hit a lick challenge

A viral TikTok trend is destroying public property just outside of Toronto

A viral TikTok trend is causing public property to be destroyed in a city just outside of Toronto. 

The mayor of Burlington tweeted on Tuesday, saying that a public washroom in Orchard Park was completely destroyed, which she believes is due to someone participating in the "Hit a Lick" TikTok trend. 

"Devious Licks," otherwise known as the "Hit a Lick" challenge on TikTok, involves teenagers who go around ruining or stealing from public property, specifically items from school.  

Pictures tweeted out by Mayor Marianne Meed Ward show a sink that was ripped from the wall and shattered to pieces. 

On top of that, a toilet was removed from its socket and pipes connected to it were dented in. 

Nadia Blackburn, manager of park operations in Burlington, told blogTO that city staff discovered the ruined family washroom on the evening of Oct. 1.

Several people tweeted in response to photos of the destroyed bathroom, and some say this isn't the first time the trend has ruined public property in Burlington: 

Another person tweeted saying they've heard of the challenge happening at school bathrooms in the Orchard Park area:

"We need to hold social media platforms accountable for allowing content that promotes illegal activity and not removing posts/blocking accounts that publish and promote content like this," Meed Ward said on Tuesday. 

Mayor Meed Ward says social media platforms such as TikTok should be held accountable for "allowing content that promotes illegal activity." 

As of now, any hashtag or video involved with the challenge is  unsearchable on TikTok; instead, a message comes up saying that what you're searching for is a violation of the app's guidelines. 

Blackburn says it will cost up to $2,000 to repair the park washroom in Burlington. For now, the washroom will only remain open during permitted times, to prevent further damage from happening. 

Lead photo by

Marianne Meed Ward


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