Harambe The Gorilla Killed After Child Falls Into Cincinnati Zoo Enclosure

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Detailed ForecastMaps, RadarDownload Our AppClose5 YEARS AGO: Harambe the gorilla killed after child falls into Cincinnati Zoo enclosure

by WKRC

Fri, May 28, 2021 at 2:09 AMUpdated Fri, May 28, 2021 at 4:13 AM11VIEW ALL PHOTOSHarambe had picked the child up and dragged him, causing zoo officials to be concerned for the child's life. (Kimberly O'Connor/ViralHog)Comment on this story0CommentShare storyShare

topics:

• Bombay
• Cincinnati
• Cincinnati,Ohio,United States
• Mumbai,Maharashtra,India
• TWITTER, INC.
• Twitter
• Amen
• Elon Musk

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - On May 28, 2016, a small boy fell into the gorilla exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo. What happened next prompted internet outrage across the world: a gorilla was killed. That gorilla was named "Harambe".

Harambe was the 17-year-old western lowland gorilla who had noticed that the boy fell into the enclosure. He approached the boy and grabbed him. Video shows Harambe dragging the young boy around the retaining pool in the enclosure as onlookers shout and scream in response.

The incident ended with the "difficult but right" decision to terminate Harambe, according to zoo officials. The parents of the child were not charged.

Petitions on the internet sprung up, including one called "Justice for Harambe", which demanded that "proper LEGAL action is taken in this matter and responsible parties are held accountable if the investigation finds that there was negligence involved." That petition attained over 10,000 signatures in a few days and was well over half a million signatures before it finally closed.

The fallout of Harambe's death was even more widespread. It even caused the Cincinnati Zoo to delete its Twitter account for a while.

Harambe became more than a gorilla who unfortunately lost his life, he became an internet meme.

A Cheeto that bore a resemblance to Harambe was sold for $100,000 online.

Harambe became the star of a fast-selling Ugly Christmas Sweater. The "50/50 cotton/polyester" blend sweatshirt featured Harambe in a Santa hat with the words "Harambe Loved Christmas."

Elon Musk (yes, that Elon Musk) even wrote a rap song (not joking) to honor Harambe. During the refrain, Musk raps "RIP Harambe, Sipping on some Bombay, We on our way to heaven, Amen Amen, RIP Harambe, Smoking on some strong, In the gorilla zoo, And we thinking about you" (again, NOT JOKING). This should be considered to be one of (if not THE) final nail in the Harambe meme's coffin.

Harambe went from an ordinary gorilla to an internet sensation overnight, but now he's mostly just an old wound for the Queen City. The meme is dead. Long live Harambe.

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