[caption id="attachment_79005" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Vancouver Panhandlers Kicked In The Groin For Cash [/caption]

Vancouver Police will be updating the media at 2 p.m. with the latest on the investigation.

Granville Mall Panhandlers Allow Groin Kicks for Cash

Police officials in Vancouver are investigating a video of what appears to be a sick challenge in which two panhandlers near the Granville Mall allow a passer-by to kick them in exchange for payment.

The kick in the groin for cash video was originally posted on YouTube.com before being removed.

The shocking video shows a young, heavy-set man in his early 20s throwing down money on the sidewalk. When the young man asks an older panhandler angrily if he really wants the money, he admits he does and the young man swiftly kicks his foot in his direction.

Another panhandler then steps up and agrees to the kick for cash plan. With the nearby crowd shouting encouragement and egging him on, the heavy-set man repeatedly kicks the younger panhandler after handing over an undisclosed amount of cash.

The older panhandler spoke to a news reporter about the incident, claiming he wasn't homeless but was desperate for money and that the heavy-set man appeared drunk and offered him $50 to take the kick. Despite throwing several kicks, the man was too intoxicated to hit the older man and he reports he was not injured. The kicker then tried to take back his money.

A local busker known by the nickname Spoons witnessed the incident on Sunday. He told the CBC, he's seen street people go to extremes to make money before, and passersby who are happy to watch.

"There was a guy that used to light his hair on fire — people would pay him to light his beard on fire, climb poles," said Spoons.

"They tried to get me to do push ups and stuff. I just tell them I'm not a puppet. I play my spoons for my money. I say, 'You do the push ups. Let me kick you in the nuts.'"

The Vancouver Police Department said it was tipped off to the incident when someone tweeted them a link to the video. It is now investigating the actions leading up to and following the kick as a criminal offence.

On The Web:

Video shows 2 apparent panhandlers kicked in groin for cash
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/video-shows-2-apparent-panhandlers-kicked-in-groin-for-cash-1.2525856