‘THIS IS NOT THE TIME’

Jake Paul Says He Wasn’t Looting After Being Filmed in a Looted Mall

The YouTuber came under fire after a video showed him in a crowd of people who were looting and vandalizing an Arizona mall on Saturday.

YouTuber Jake Paul on Sunday responded to backlash after a video showed him in a crowd of looters in an Arizona mall on Saturday, asserting that “neither I nor anyone in our group was engaged in any looting or vandalism.” Paul, 23, is seen in the video at Fashion Square Mall in Scottsdale, Arizona, which was reportedly looted and vandalized on Saturday night amid nationwide protests over the death of unarmed black man George Floyd. The YouTuber came under fire once the video went viral, with some Twitter users accusing him of capitalizing on the demonstrations.

“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,” Paul continued. “I do not condone violence, looting, or breaking the law; however, I understand the anger and frustration that led to the destruction we witnessed.”