Video shows Jon Jones confront vandals during George Floyd protest in Albuquerque
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones might not be planning to compete in the octagon anytime soon, but that didn’t stop him from fighting crime in his hometown.
The death of George Floyd, an African-American man who died last week after a white Minneapolis police officer subdued him with his knee to his neck for nearly nine minutes, has sparked protests in cities across the U.S., many of which have led to looting and the destruction of property.
On Sunday night, civil unrest hit Albuquerque, N.M., which Jones calls home. In a video posted to his Instagram account, Jones is seen confronting vandals downtown. He demands spray cans from two men, who reluctantly oblige.
Last week after the Floyd incident went viral, Jones was among the first prominent professional athletes to express outrage over what was captured on video, calling for “nationwide policy change.” Jones made it clear Sunday, though, that he doesn’t support the chaos as the means of obtaining it.
“Is this sh*t even about George Floyd anymore?!?” he wrote in a caption with his Instagram video. “Why the f*ck are you punk ass teenagers destroying our cities!?? As a young black man trust me I’m frustrated as well but this is not the way, we are starting to make a bad situation worse. If you really got love for your city (505), protect your sh*t. All you old heads need to speak up, call your young family members and tell them to come home tonight.”
Jones’ actions come as he’s currently in a public feud with UFC president Dana White after being denied a pay increase for a potential superfight with heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou. That has led Jones to announce he’s relinquishing his 205-pound title, though it remains to be seen how the UFC responds.
Video shows Jon Jones confront vandals during George Floyd protest in Albuquerque
