Footage of Jake Paul amidst looters at an Arizona mall this weekend has sparked extreme backlash on social media. This wouldn’t be the first time that Paul has found himself at the center of a scandal. He has been a controversial figure in the media since he rose to fame with the launch of Team 10 and reports that he was terrorizing his neighbors.
Regarding this weekend’s incident, Jake was seen in a video, which can now be found on TMZ, in the midst of people stealing merchandise at an Arizona mall. Even though he wasn’t caught actually stealing anything… The footage seemed pretty incriminating.
The protests going on across the United States are in response to the murder of George Floyd that took place on May 25 at the hands of a policeman.
While many protests have been peaceful, some have escalated to violence and looting, which was the situation at the Scottsdale Mall where Paul was seen on Saturday night. People responded angrily to Paul, claiming that he was taking advantage of the protests and Black Lives Matter movement for his own benefit.
Paul took to social media yesterday to respond to the criticism in a lengthy statement, essentially saying that he was there to document what was going on so people can figure out a way to move forward.
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) May 31, 2020
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He claimed to have been peacefully protesting in Scottsdale for hours before the alleged incident occurred. Many people were not buying this, however, and still stand by the claim that he was stealing things from the mall.
you looted a bottle of vodka from pf changs
you looted a bottle of vodka from pf changs
you looted a bottle of vodka from pf changs https://t.co/XrAK7qnPdQ
— elijah daniel (@elijahdaniel) May 31, 2020
While we can’t be sure if he participated in the looting or not, it is important now more than ever that influencers and celebrities are using their platforms to make good and enact change. As American people, we must all stand up for what is right in our country. Looking for ways to help? Here is a list of resources published by Rolling Stone that can be used to support the Black Lives Matter movement.
