Ice Poseidon's 5 biggest controversies of 2023

IRL streamer Paul "Ice Poseidon" has remained a polarizing figure over the past years, captivating audiences with his unpredictable behavior. He is also well-known for his old-school RuneScape gameplay on Twitch, which propelled him to popularity in 2015. From facing a Twitch ban after being swatted on an airplane while livestreaming to being stream-sniped so often that he nearly had to stop, Paul has seen his fair share of controversies.

In 2023, however, things have taken a more intense turn. After moving to Twitch's rival platform, Kick, he found himself in hot water after being accused of secretly filming a s*x worker. He was also arrested and charged with violating Thailand's anti-p*rnography laws. Needless to say, this year has been eventful for the American streamer.

This article delves into five controversies that the 29-year-old streamer has found himself in.

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5 biggest controversies involving Ice Poseidon in 2023

1) Beef with Jon Zherka

Ice Poseidon had a bizarre beef with YouTuber Jon Zherka on AdinRoss' stream in May 2023. Both content creators seemed to be going back and forth with accusations and allegations. However, tempers flared when Jon Zherka made some serious accusations against Paul:

"Hey, be honest, yes or no, God is watching. When everyone told you she was mentally ill from me dumping her, did you leave her in a tub to c*t big scars on her thigh with a kitchen knife? Did you abandon her that night? Did you leave her alone when she was self-h*rming? You knew she was self-h*rming."

In response, Ice Poseidon stated that he had asked her to leave his apartment in that situation. The streamer further said that since he had known her only for a day, he did not care about her feelings:

"No. I left her alone 'cause she was crying in my apartment (unintelligible) no reason like a crazy b*itch... I'm like, 'What the f**k are you doing? Like, bro you gotta stop doing this. You gotta get out of here if you're gonna do this 'cause that is insane' ... Bro, I knew this girl for one day. I don't give a sh*t about her feelings after one day."

The serious accusation did not go unnoticed, with many people expressing their shock and outrage at Ice Poseidon's response.

Both streamers had people supporting or disagreeing with them. (Image via YouTube)

The incident sparked a heated debate on social media, with some condemning Paul for his lack of empathy and others questioning the credibility of Jon Zherka's accusation.

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2) Detained for livestreaming an escort

Ice Poseidon, along with fellow streamer and controversial figure Sam Pepper, were detained in Brisbane, Australia, in September 2023 after streaming their interaction with an escort on a live broadcast. Paul and Sam had a third person meet the woman.

Later, as the woman received a tip-off from a friend that there were two other individuals in the next room watching the stream, she tried to leave. However, her path was blocked by a man, leaving her in an uncomfortable situation. After Brisbane police received a tipoff from a confidential informant about this incident, the two men were detained.

It was later determined after a thorough investigation that no crime was committed, and the two were discharged from police custody. Their actions were deemed legal as they had taken permission from the woman.

However, the livestreaming platform Kick later released a public statement.

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Netizens were unimpressed with the two streamers' behavior, as they criticized their actions and wished for them to "get deported" or be forced to leave Australia.

Netizens called for them to be removed from the country. (Image via h3h3productions/Reddit)

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3) Viewer pours sewage on his head

Ice Poseidon called the police on one of his viewers when they poured sewage on his head during a livestream in September 2023. Paul was streaming on a pier when a man walked up behind him and poured a cup of sewage water on his head. He was visibly disgusted and exclaimed that it smelled bad:

"I just wanna know what he poured on me, 'cause it smells like sh*t."

The man was pursued by fellow streamer Sam Pepper. By the time Ice Poseidon caught up to them, he found Sam chokeholding the man. They then tried to interrogate the individual and find out what the substance was, but to no avail. While the man would not disclose what he had poured on Paul, the streamers assumed it was human excrement or sewage water based on the smell.

Police later apprehended the man and arrested him. The viral event, having been filmed on camera, made it easier for the police to identify and find the suspect.

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Reddit users were not so sympathetic to Ice Poseidon and Sam, stating they deserved it.

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2) Punching the attacker who sprayed him with "acid"

In one of his IRL streams early in October 2023, Ice Poseidon sat down in an area with his friends. Soon after, he was approached by a stranger wearing a mask and a hoodie to conceal his identity. The person then sprayed Paul with an undisclosed substance before running away from the scene.

Ice Poseidon was visibly taken aback by the substance and exclaimed:

"Ah, what the f**k is that? Yo, get him! He just sprayed my eyes with f**king acid or something!"

Yet again, the man was pursued and put in a chokehold by Sam. Later, the police were called, and the former was arrested for spraying the substance. It was eventually determined that the substance was pepper spray and not acid.

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Reddit audience yet again believed that Ice Poseidon deserved the attack because of his controversial content. However, others argued that resorting to violence cannot be justified. A few users believed that the event was staged.

Comment by from discussion inLivestreamFail

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1) Arrested in Thailand for violating laws

Paul posted on X, updating his audience about the situation. (Image via REALIcePoseidon/X)

Towards the end of a Kick broadcast in June 2023, Ice Poseidon was in a restaurant in Bangkok with his girlfriend. While having a party in the lounge, the 29-year-old wore lingerie and gave his partner, Kimberly, a lapdance. He was then apprehended by the restaurant manager, who accused him of disrespecting Thai culture.

When Paul and his friends defended themselves, they were informed that their actions were being filmed on security cameras and were punishable by law.

When the manager realized that their conversations were being livestreamed as well, she did not let the group leave. Instead, they were taken to the embassy and made to write an "admission of guilt." Initially, they were facing jail time for violating the strict anti-p*rnography laws in Thailand.

However, Ice Poseidon was released and allowed to leave Thailand without any charges being pressed against him. He made a public apology regarding the incident and posted it on X.

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