On Facebook, their account page had a profile picture that was just words: "I told you I do not want a hug!".  Friend sent them a Facebook message, saying "I'm so sorry I'm still communicating so poorly; how do I refrain from hugging you?"

Friend asked around the community.  When asked about this person, everyone asked would suddenly say, "I really don't like hugging!" and curtly turn away, sometimes denying service or offering thinly-veiled death threats or sudden physical violence.

While being beaten by what seems a small anti-hug-gang, friend curls up, starts punching themselves too, and offers the clothes off their back and personal slavery as an expression of care and trust.  The few strong people stop harming them.

"Uhhhh it's really not that big.  Why didn't you make it right?  The person whose photo you're carting around doesn't want to hug you."