YouTuber Jake Paul has spoken out after a video of him allegedly looting during the George Floyd protests went viral.
For those who missed it, the controversial social media star’s videographer, Andrew Blue, shared the alleged clips to his Instagram Stories on Saturday, May 31. Although Jake himself was not seen destroying any property or stealing in them, the videos showed many people around him kicking in glass windows, breaking kiosks and more at a mall in Arizona.
“To be absolutely clear, neither I nor anyone in our group was engaged in any looting or vandalism,” the 23-year-old wrote on his Instagram Stories. “For context, we spent the day doing our part to peacefully protest one of the most horrific injustices our country has ever seen, which led to us being tear-gassed for filming the events and brutality that were unfolding in Arizona. We were gassed and forced to keep moving on foot. We filmed everything we saw in an effort to share our experience and bring more attention to the anger felt in every neighborhood we traveled to. We were strictly documenting, not engaging.”
Many celebrities, including Ariana Grande, Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes, Halsey, Madison Beer, Lauren Jauregui and more have been protesting the tragic death of George, a 46-year-old black man who passed away on May 25, 2020, after a white police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes.
“I do not condone violence, looting or breaking the law,” Jake continued. “However, I understand the anger and frustration that led to the destruction we witnessed, and while it’s not the answer, it’s important that people see it and collectively figure out how to move forward in a healthy way. We are all doing the best we can to be helpful and raise awareness; this is not the time to attack each other, it’s time to join together and evolve.”
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