Legal Action Threatened Over Eye Injuries at ApeFest: Bored Ape NFT Holder Speaks Out

Yuga Labs, the maker of the popular Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) non-fungible tokens (NFTs), is now on legal notice over injuries sustained at ApeFest.

The founder and CEO of art technology company Artfi, Asif Kamal, tweeted early on Thursday (UTC) that he is responsible for the company. He stated that,

“Legal action is coming to hold Yuga Labs accountable for the Ape Fest incident in Hong Kong and seek justice for those affected.”

On November 7, Kamal shared a link to a petition asking for more safety in public events. “I nearly lost my eyesight, enduring immense pain and anxiety,” he said.

In the comments, he explained that he and several others got infected due to the UV lights at the Hong Kong event.

“I’m under constant medical supervision, and now my skin is starting to peel,” the CEO wrote.

🙏 Let's create change together! I'm petitioning for Enhanced Safety Measures at Public Events. The incident in Hong Kong at @yugalabs @BoredApeYC fest was a harsh reminder of how precious our safety is. I nearly lost my eyesight, enduring immense pain and anxiety.

Please…

— Asif Kamal (@iamasifkamal) November 7, 2023

ApeFest was held in Hong Kong between November 3-5.  As it began, attendees of the Yuga Lab’s event started reporting eye pain, damaged vision, and burns.

Many called on their fellow attendees with the same issues to see their doctors ASAP, as they may be in danger of losing their eyesight.

Those who had gone to their doctor reported that the damage was caused by UV lights.

“I’ve got the Ape, will always hold it, love our community, and will keep backing them,” Kamal wrote in a separate comment. “But I’ll make sure those responsible for the incident own up, no hiding!”

Artfi is a platform for fine art that enables investors to own a stake in artworks. It fractionalizes physical works of blue chip art for token holders around the world to own.

It also has a dedicated NFT marketplace. Per its CEO, the company is valued at $100 million.

Yuga Labs Responds

The Bored Ape Yacht Club Twitter account did not address the issue until November 6.

At the time, the team stated that they were aware of “the eye-related issues” and were “proactively reaching out” to the attendees to find the root causes.

“Based on our estimates, we believe that much less than 1% of those attending and working the event had these symptoms,” they said.

On Thursday, November 9, the company shared a longer post, admitting that “UV-A emitting lights installed in one corner of the event was likely the cause of the reported issues related to attendees’ eyes and skin.”

“We continue to encourage anyone experiencing symptoms to seek medical attention and share these findings with their medical provider.”

Furthermore, the team said it was “committed to supporting the recovery of anyone affected.”

How the company plans to do so is still unclear, particularly as some have reported increasing medical bills.

On Sunday, November 5, Yuga Labs began to receive reports that some ApeFest attendees and staff experienced eye pain, vision issues, or skin irritation following the Saturday night community event. These reports were – and continue to be – deeply concerning to us. We immediately…

— Bored Ape Yacht Club 🍌 (@BoredApeYC) November 9, 2023

Cryptonews reached out to Yuga Labs for comment.

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Learn more:

• Attendees of Yuga Labs’ ApeFest Event Report Eye-Related Issues; Yuga Labs Investigating Cause
• Yuga Labs Awarded $1.6 Million in Damages in NFT Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Against Ryder Ripps
• SEC Investigating Bored Ape NFT Creator Over Unregistered Asset Offering
• Law Firm is Trying to Organize Class Action Lawsuit Against Yuga Labs