Arnold Schwarzenegger Blindsided, Attacked at Event
Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Republican governor of California, was blindsided Saturday at a public event in South Africa when an attendee dropkicked him in the back without warning.
The 71-year-old “Terminator” actor and former bodybuilder appears to have escaped serious injury, quickly shaking it off and exiting the premises without aid.
Schwarzenegger was in Sandton, South Africa, for a multi-sport festival known as the Arnold Classic Africa.
The festival is one of several put on by the Arnold Sports Festival — an organization that hosts fitness expositions and sporting festivals for all ages across several continents to foster positive competition and “expose young children to different sports and create an interest to get active motivating a healthier life style.”
The blindside attack on Schwarzenegger took place during festivities at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg early Saturday morning, and quickly circulated online.
Video of the incident shows Schwarzenegger videotaping a jump-rope competition for social media.
Just after finishing, the former governor hands off the cellphone he was using and a man appears from offscreen, jumps and delivers a kick to Schwarzenegger’s back.
Schwarzenegger can then be seen stumbling forward into a small crowd of attendees as his attacker is quickly apprehended.
The remainder of the video shows Schwarzenegger proceeding with the event, greeting several attendees and exiting the convention center.
The former governor was quick to speak out about the incident on Twitter, where he thanked followers for their support and well wishes.
“Thanks for your concerns, but there is nothing to worry about. I thought I was just jostled by the crowd, which happens a lot.” Schwarzenegger wrote. “I only realized I was kicked when I saw the video like all of you.”
He even made light of the incident, saying, “I’m just glad the idiot didn’t interrupt my Snapchat.”
Thanks for your concerns, but there is nothing to worry about. I thought I was just jostled by the crowd, which happens a lot. I only realized I was kicked when I saw the video like all of you. I’m just glad the idiot didn’t interrupt my Snapchat.
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) May 18, 2019
Schwarzenegger also went on to say that the internet should focus on highlighting the talent and festivities of the day, rather than providing his attacker with any more undue fame.
Do me a favor: instead of sharing the video of the guy who wants to be famous, watch some of our @ArnoldSports athletes like this young hero proving that fitness is for everyone who deserve to be famous. They’re on my Snapchat. pic.twitter.com/EuMynJ7t1n
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) May 18, 2019
“Do me a favor: instead of sharing the video of the guy who wants to be famous, watch some of our @ArnoldSports athletes like this young hero proving that fitness is for everyone who deserve to be famous,” Schwarzenegger wrote.
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