Viral Video Shot at Grand Rapids Bus Stop Shows Strangers Standing Up to Bullies [Video]

If you saw a young person being bullied what would you do? Would you step up and say something or would you ignore it?

Who will stop the bullying?

This is the question a new anti-bullying video shot in Grand Rapids asks.

The way several strangers reacted to the social experiment makes me proud to be a Grand Rapidian!

The video, which shows a young girl being harassed by two other girls at a Grand Rapids bus stop, is part of Up TV's Stand Up Against Bullying campaign.

The real reactions from concerned Grand Rapids residents are amazing! With words and actions, they come to the girl's defense, and admonish the bullies. One man even offers the seat next him to the bullied youngster and breaks out a harmonica to engage her in something else than her peers' nasty comments.

According to MLive, it was filmed at the Fulton Street Rapid bus stop across from St. Cecilia Music Center.

The video was directed and produced by Grand Rapids' Rob Bliss of Rob Bliss Creative, who filmed the video from a parking lot across the street. The young people depicting the bullying scenarios are actresses Bliss met through local theater groups.

Bliss told MLive,

"While the girls were local actresses, all of the people who interacted with them are completely random. Over half of the people who witnessed the bullying responded while others were on their phones, listening to music or simply sat too far away."

Posted to YouTube on Thursday, "Who Will Stop The Bullying" has over 1.8 million views by Saturday afternoon.

This is Bliss' second project with Up TV, following last year's "Christmas Surprise Traffic Stop with Lowell Police," in which drivers pulled over by police for minor traffic violations are surprised with Christmas gifts.

October is Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. Find out more about Up TV's Stand Up Against Bullying campaign here.