PSNI video goes viral with 630k views in a day

An hilarious video of the PSNI Craigavon stepping up to a Garda dance challenge has gone viral with more than 630,000 views in less than 24 hours.
PSNI Craigavon are taking up a Gardai challengePSNI Craigavon are taking up a Gardai challenge
PSNI Craigavon are taking up a Gardai challenge

PSNI Craigavon have posted an hilarious Running Man dance video on their Facebook page and by this morning (Tuesday) it had 637k views on their Facebook page, plus 18k likes and it was shared more than 11,500 times.

So popular was the video, which was shot primarily in Lurgan and Craigavon, there were 3,267 comments underneath the post with the vast majority very supportive and complimentary.

Indeed a one word posting by PSNI Craigavon ‘Sweet’ underneath received 394 likes.

PSNI Craigavon are taking up a Gardai challengePSNI Craigavon are taking up a Gardai challenge
PSNI Craigavon are taking up a Gardai challenge

Internationally the response has been hugely postive. One man called Jim Miller said: “All the way from Canada. Great dance guys and gals.”

More locally UKIP councillor David Jones said: “Drumcree will be interesting this year!”

The talented officers nailed the dance tune finally after several false starts to the wrong music including YMCA.

And they have challenged all UK police forces who have not yet stepped up and even the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (The Mounties).

PSNI Craigavon are taking up a Gardai challengePSNI Craigavon are taking up a Gardai challenge
PSNI Craigavon are taking up a Gardai challenge

On Monday they posted: “Well here it is. Let’s send this global and put our wee country on the map for all the right reasons!

“We’re throwing this out to ALL UK police who haven’t yet stepped up, as well as the RCMP (The Mounties, just because they have funny boots and hats)

“We’d also particularly like to see the Isle of Man do the Isle of Running Man! Whatever you guys do, let’s see your towns, locals and communities.

“Here in Northern Ireland we’re open for business. Are you?”

Most of the video is shot in Lurgan outside the police station in Market Street and in the town centre with lots of children getting in on the act.

Some of the action is shot at Kinnego Marina with a couple of police officers dancing perilously close to the lough. Once false move and they would have been very wet.

Special thanks have been given to the FADD Studios Dance Crew, Glentoran Junior Team, NDSL Junior Team, ‘Our wee town for their support’, ‘all our colleagues for their willingness to volunteer and our bosses for making them’

Earlier there were hints that the PSNI Craigavon had accepted a challenge from An Garda Síochána to a dance off.

The southern police have already become an internet sensation with their version of the ‘running man’ dance.

The dance challenge has become a viral sensation and has been picked up by police forces around the world.

It started when a group of US basketball players filmed a video doing the ‘Running Man’ to a popular song from the 90s.

Police in New Zealand then adopted it as part of a recruitment drive - before challenges forces around the world to do the same.

The most recent to take part was An Garda Siochana who then passed on the challenge to the PSNI asking them to “show us your moves”.

And the PSNI accepted - with Chief Constable George Hamilton even weighing in on the discussion.

Assistant Chief Constable Stephen Martin said he had “two left feet” but said the Mr Hamilton was “some mover”.