A Moscow self-defense sports school held an open lesson on Monday for what it claimed was the first ever selfie-stick combat class.
The M-PROFI sports center said in an online statement that the course had been inspired by the needs of travelers.
“In many countries assaults on tourists have become a frequent occurrence […] and the only instrument of self-defense that travelers always carry on themselves is a selfie-stick,” the statement said.
The sports school said self-defense methods using the tool had become a worldwide trend, under the name “mpd-fight,” short for monopod-fight.
The statement also cited a group that calls itself the Association of Safe Selfies who say they supported the initiative.
“It's time for the selfie-stick to be used for a purpose other than to take photographs,” the so-called president of the association was cited as saying.
M-PROFI promised to teach pupils to defend themselves with the stick in five lessons.
A live translation of the first lesson on Monday was available on the m24.ru local news website.
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