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Anti-Trump UFC Star Sean Strickland Escorted Out Of White House Fight Fan Fest By Secret Service

Controversial anti-Trump UFC star Sean Strickland was escorted out of the UFC fan festival event near the White House by Secret Service agents on Sunday.

The reigning middleweight champion, who has previously come under fire for racist, homophobic and misogynistic remarks, was removed from the viewing party on The Ellipse.

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Strickland, had previously claimed he hadn’t been invited to the event, part of America’s 250th birthday celebrations, which also coincided with Donald Trump’s 80th birthday, because of his criticism of the president.

He documented what went down on social media.

Earlier in the day, he posted on his Instagram Story: “Well guys sorry no luck on a ticket to the fan fest….. Just not American enough:/”

He later shared a video of himself inside the fan festival and being mobbed by supporters who chanted “USA! USA!” as he declared: “We made it you guys, we ******* made it.”

Photos and videos posted online then showed Strickland being surrounded by Secret Service agents and other law enforcement officers before being escorted out of the area.

U.S. MMA fighter Sean Strickland is escorted out of the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest on The Ellipse by U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement ahead of the UFC Freedom 250 fight on the South Lawn of the White House.
U.S. MMA fighter Sean Strickland is escorted out of the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest on The Ellipse by U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement ahead of the UFC Freedom 250 fight on the South Lawn of the White House. KEVIN DIETSCH via Getty Images
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Strickland later shared footage of himself from inside what appeared to be a police vehicle.

“I’m pretty sure I didn’t break a law, like I’m pretty sure. But we might be going to jail, but I’m pretty sure we didn’t break no laws,” he said. In another video, the fighter suggested he “may have been charged with disorderly conduct” and thanked his fans for “riding and supporting me.”

The reigning middleweight champion has previously come under fire for racist, homophobic and misogynistic remarks.
The reigning middleweight champion has previously come under fire for racist, homophobic and misogynistic remarks. Kevin Dietsch via Getty Images

The United States Park Police contested Strickland’s comments, however, saying he was “neither cited nor arrested in connection with the incident” but instead “was advised not to return to the venue for his own and public safety” and was returned to his hotel.

“The unplanned presence of Sean Strickland drew significant attention from attendees, resulting in disorder,” the United States Park Police Public Information Office said in a statement to ESPN. “Due to concerns for Strickland’s safety and the safety of event patrons, personnel from the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Park Police, and other assisting agencies evacuated him safely from the area.”

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UFC’s Sean Strickland Removed From Freedom 250 Event by Police

UFC’s Sean Strickland Removed From Freedom 250 Event for a Reason
Photo Credit: Kevin Dietsch/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland was removedfrom an event. His unplanned appearance at the Freedom 250 fan festival triggered chaos. Strickland spent the entire UFC Freedom 250 fight week attending various events despite not being on the fight card. When he walked into the fan festival at The Ellipse on Sunday evening, however, authorities quickly stepped in.

Sean Strickland removed from Freedom 250 event

The U.S. Park Police confirmed to ESPN that they removed Sean Strickland from the area around 7 p.m., after a surge of fans rushed toward him. This happened roughly two hours before the main card began.

“The unplanned presence of Sean Strickland drew significant attention from attendees, resulting in disorder,” the United States Park Police Public Information Office said in a statement. “Due to concerns for Strickland’s safety and the safety of event patrons, personnel from the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Park Police, and other assisting agencies evacuated him safely from the area,” it added.

Jaclyn Cruz, a 26-year-old fan from Nashville, Tennessee, witnessed the moment firsthand. She spotted Strickland, filmed a quick video, and tried to say hello before he was escorted out. “After I saw that, I was shaking,” Cruz said. “It was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m living like a fever dream right now,'” she added.

Following the incident, Strickland posted an Instagram story thanking his supporters and suggesting he might have been cited for disorderly conduct. The Park Police clarified that it was not the case.

“Strickland was neither cited nor arrested in connection with the incident,” the Park Police wrote. “However, he was advised not to return to the venue for his own and public safety,” they added. Authorities transported Strickland back to his hotel without further incident.

The two-time UFC Middleweight Champion had been vocal in the lead-up to Freedom 250, claiming he was excluded from the White House event due to his political remarks. He had criticized Donald Trump’s ties to Israel and made comments about Jeffrey Epstein (via Mirror USA). UFC CEO Dana White denied that anyone was formally banned, citing limited seating at the temporary venue (via MMA Fighting).

Originally reported by Devanshi Basu for Mandatory.

The post UFC’s Sean Strickland Removed From Freedom 250 Event by Police appeared first on Reality Tea.

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