Days after Jake Paul denied allegations that he was looting during the George Floyd protests, his brother, Logan Paul, has defended him.
For those who missed it, the controversial YouTuber came under fire after videos posted by his videographer, Andrew Blue, showed Jake watching as people around him destroyed property and stole things at a mall in Arizona. Although the influencer was not seen participating during the clips, fans were not happy about him being there in the first place.
“Why he was inside of a mall that was being looted, I have no idea. I talked to him on the phone, he was at a dinner that was next to the mall. It was very unfortunate but very on-brand for Jake Paul to magically be seen at a looting site,” Logan said in a recent episode of his “Impaulsive” podcast. “Here’s what I will say, and I feel like this goes without saying. While I condemn that he was at a looting site and stuck around long enough for videos to be taken to make it look like he was kinda hanging out, you are a f**king moron if you think my brother was actively participating in looting.”
After the videos went viral on Sunday, May 31, Jake issued a statement, explaining that he was only there to document what was going on.
“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.”
As fans know, many people have taken to the streets to protest the tragic death of George Floyd — a 46-year-old, unarmed black man who passed away in Minneapolis, MN, on May 25, after a police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. The white officer — Derek Chauvin — did not move even as George repeatedly said “I can’t breathe,” as heard in a video captured by bystanders. The officer has since been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
“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.”
Love J-14? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for fun, exclusive videos with your favorite stars.
