Following the footage of Jake Paul amidst looters at the Arizona Mall last weekend, the celebrity YouTuber has been charged with two misdemeanors. Scottsdale authorities charged the internet star with criminal trespass and unlawful assembly.
Though the 23-year-old celebrity denied being involved in any vandalism or looting, according to the police, they were sent ‘hundreds of tips’ saying Paul was a ‘participant in the riot.’The police offered an official statement to the public, saying ‘Our investigation has revealed that Paul was present after the protest was declared an unlawful assembly and the rioters were ordered to leave the area by the police.Paul also unlawfully entered and remained inside of the mall when it was closed. As a result, Paul has been charged with Criminal Trespass and Unlawful Assembly (both misdemeanor charges).’
We've received 100s of tips in response to the events at @ScottsdaleFS. In our continued investigation it was confirmed that Jake Paul was in attendance & remained inside after an unlawful assembly was declared & has been charged with Criminal Trespass & Unlawful Assembly. pic.twitter.com/ySPmZT7ADv
— ScottsdalePD (@ScottsdalePD) June 4, 2020
The YouTuber has been issued a summons to appear in court in a month. Paul however maintains that he was simply at the mall to capture what was happening. “To be absolutely clear, neither I nor anyone in our group was engaged in any looting or vandalism,” he said in a statement on Twitter. Many criticized him for his presence at the mall.
This is not the only time that the young celebrity has been criticized for attempting to use major news events to his own advantage. In 2018, Paul was criticized by young activists for creating a video on the mass shooting in Parkland Florida where he laid out a five-point plan he had devised to stop school shootings. This plan included solutions like installing bulletproof windows in classrooms and instructing children to carry bulletproof shields in their backpacks.
When Paul took to instagram to post a black square this Tuesday, the comments section quickly flooded with comments criticizing him for his presence at the looting.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CA8NXFYjk_5/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
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He responded to the misdemeanor charges with this tweet:
gimme my charges and let’s put the focus back on George Floyd and Black Lives Matter https://t.co/nwBZmsxFFz
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) June 4, 2020
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