Bizarre 'shaving-off beard' social media challenge leaves five men injured and sparks police probe

EXCLUSIVE: Bizarre 'shaving-off beard' social media challenge leaves five men injured and sparks police probeDetectives called after five men injured in bizarre TikTok 'shaving off beard' challengeNewsAndy Lines10:00, 07 Apr 2026View 4 ImagesA bizarre shaving-off beard challenge turned violent, leaving five men injured(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)A bizarre shaving-off beard challenge turned violent, leaving five men injured.‌Friends fell out over over a social media grooming craze, and it exploded into violence yesterday when four men launched a dawn raid on a pal who refused to shave his beard off. Police said five men aged 20 to 27 were involved in the bust-up on Easter Saturday. The trigger was a viral challenge demanding participants shave both their heads and facial hair.‌One man only went halfway - shaving his head but keeping his beard. That decision sparked fury and at 6.30am, four others turned up at his home to confront him about his uncut beard. The bearded man was jolted awake by the sound of a window being smashed.‌View 4 ImagesThe trend included shaving off beards and hair(Image: Getty Images)READ MORE: Met Office issues week-long hay fever alert as patients given important reminderREAD MORE: Cape Verde deaths 'hits 8 Brits' as 1,700 join legal action on TUI over holiday illnessA shouting match quickly turned into a full-blown fight. In the chaos, one of the men ripped a wooden slat from a fence and used it as a weapon, swinging it during the clash.A spokesman for Germany Police said the precise details surrounding the unusual social media challenge remained unclear but confirmed the violence was linked to the online dare.‌He said: “All five involved were left with minor injuries.” Officers in Nordlingen, Bavaria, have launched an investigation into the four suspected attackers on suspicion of dangerous bodily harm and criminal damage.View 4 ImagesThe police were called after the row turned violent(Image: Getty Images)...