‘Liar!’: Ryan Lochte rushed by protestors on Dancing with the Stars
Disgraced Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte was rattled when he was targeted by protestors during a live taping of reality series Dancing with the Stars.
Two men stormed the stage shouting “Liar!” during the judges’ critique of Lochte’s performance with dancing partner Cheryl Burke on Monday evening (US time).
Meanwhile, four to five female protestors yelled anti-Lochte chants from the audience.
Watch the protestors interrupt judging:
Ryan Lochte is SHOOK! #DWTS. https://t.co/HYP4zEHkMS
— @DCHomos (@DCHomos) September 13, 2016
The protestors were immediately caught by security and removed from the building. They were later charged with trespassing, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Lochte, who won a gold medal at this year’s Rio Olympics, has been the focus of much criticism after falsely claiming he and three teammates were robbed at gunpoint during a night out in Rio.
It was later revealed the athletes had also vandalised a petrol station in Rio.
The athletes were subsequently sanctioned by US swimming and Lochte was suspended for 10 months, meaning he will miss the 2017 World Championships.
See the incident from another angle:
Another angle of Lochte protesters on #DWTS #DancingWiththeStars
Why does this remind me of a Trump rally 🤔 https://t.co/YKCwT5dirE
— @DCHomos (@DCHomos) September 13, 2016
“You know, at that moment, I was really heartbroken,” the swimmer said after the protestors rushed the stage.
“My heart just sunk. It felt like somebody just ripped it apart.”
The protestors told TMZ they stormed the stage because they wanted to “get revenge” for Lochte’s behaviour in Rio, which they found embarrassing.
“Yes he did receive gold medals, but what he did in Rio did not represent Americans well,” the protesters, identified as 59-year-old Sam Sotoodeh and 25-year-old Barzeen Soroudi, revealed.
Sotoodeh and Soroudi were both in Rio for the Olympics and felt they became targets after Lochte’s wild night out made headlines.
“Once Lochte did what he did, embarrassed Americans, lied to Brazil, the climate changed,” they said.
“So all of a sudden Americans became targets in Rio, Brazilians obviously felt insulted and it became very different for many Americans there.”
Watch as security seizes the two protestors:
VIDEO: Anti-Ryan Lochte protester tackled during #DWTS https://t.co/B6XcAFGzYQ pic.twitter.com/LuzYY6cwuM
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) September 13, 2016
