TikTok ‘Door Kick Challenge’ prompts police warning in Petaluma

A new viral challenge on the online platform TikTok has come knocking in the North Bay, pushing Petaluma Police to warn against the potentially dangerous activity.

The so-called “Door Kick Challenge,” which involves thumping, synchronized kicks to the beat of a popular Kesha song, has spread rapidly on the TikTok social media application in the past couple of months.

Unlike knock-and-run games of the past, though, this new, web-based dare has caused property damage and raised the specter of violence from unwitting homeowners who could mistake the violent knocks for a would-be intruder.

In a statement released Tuesday, Petaluma Police cautioned about the very real consequences that could emerge from the online trend.

“While in theory this challenge seems harmless, its segue into our community has caused some realistic safety concerns,” according to the statement published on the department’s Facebook page. “As the challenge most notably occurs at night, teenagers must understand that the existence of real-life home invasions may put them in grave danger.”

To date, two instances of the “Door Kick Challenge” have been reported in Petaluma, both in the northwest portion of town during Thanksgiving week, law enforcement officials confirmed.

In one case, hundreds of dollars in damage was reported to a home’s doorway, Petaluma Police Community Engagement Liaison Jennifer Pritchard said.

After those reports, as well as outreach from residents expressing concern, Pritchard said police decided to send a pre-emptive, educational message to the community.

“Our whole goal is to make sure everybody’s aware of what’s going on,” Pritchard said in a phone interview Thursday.

The challenge centers on a portion of the popular 2012 Kesha song, “Die Young,” following the lyrics “I hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums...” with two loud kicks in time with the beat.

Although no arrests have been made in connection with the viral challenge locally, Pritchard said there could be legal ramifications for those who participate, including potential charges of vandalism and trespassing.

The trend has swept the continent in recent weeks, leading to the arrest of one teen in Louisiana last week and prompting police in Ontario, Canada, to issue warnings to residents after video emerged of juveniles taking part in the challenge there.

In the Petaluma Police Department’s message posted to Facebook, police also expressed concern that residents, including older adults, could experience trauma and anxiety as a result of the door kick challenge, “especially if a person is unaware of this TikTok trend and believes they are in actual physical danger.”

“We just don’t want anyone to get hurt,” Pritchard said via email. “Last, we hope our public service announcement encourages parents and educators to discuss the safety ramifications of this TikTok trend to their students, and at the same time, alerts homeowners of its existence.”

Anyone with information about local TikTok challenge activity is asked to submit a tip online at cityofpetaluma.org/submit-crime-tip or at cityofpetaluma.org/contact-police.

Tyler Silvy is editor of the Petaluma Argus-Courier. Reach him at tyler.silvy@arguscourier.com, 707-776-8458, or @tylersilvy on Twitter.