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Young fans and supporters of Andrew Tate have been protesting against his arrest in Athens, Greece, despite the former kickboxer being investigated for allegations of human trafficking. On Sunday, January 15, 2023, swarms of teenagers gathered on Ermou Street, a pedestrian shopping district in the capital city, chanting, "Free Top G," a reference to Tate.
Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate, were arrested on December 29, 2022, and have since been detained by Romanian authorities with their assets seized. The demonstration in Athens was organized after a post from Tate's Twitter handle, @Cobratate, which stated:
"Anyone who believes I’m a human trafficker is genuinely a moron."
Needless to say, netizens didn't take too kindly to the actions of Tate's followers. One Twitter user. @AgentCo09259883, stated:
"How far have we fallen": Netizen slam protesters for supporting Andrew Tate
Infuriated internet users took to social media after news of Andrew Tate's followers calling for his freedom spread online.
Several people called the demonstration "disgusting," and slammed the former kickboxer for his "bigoted" actions. Many questioned how these young men could follow online celebrities blindly. Others pointed out that the protestors didn't realize that Tate didn't care about them.
Twitterati also claimed that these young followers could become future misogynists and criminals just like their idol. One Twitter user, @WIo_oWI, sarcastically alluded to the sentiment, stating:
Here are some more comments seen on the micro-blogging platform criticizing the young protestors:
What happened to Andrew Tate?
Tate is a British-American social media personality known for promoting an alpha masculine and luxurious lifestyle and values. He has frequently faced backlash for his hate speech and misogynistic comments in interviews and on social media.
However, he has recently garnered a lot of followers among young men, who worship his ideals.
In December 2022, Tate, his brother, and two others were arrested on charges of r*pe, human trafficking, and organized crime. Following their detention, Romanian authorities raided their properties and found six women being held and exploited. They also found stacks of cash and several weapons. In light of the discovery, Romanian courts extended their detention by 30 days.
On January 4, 2023, a report by Spy News claimed that authorities also seized the socialite's properties along with several of his cars. Less than a week later, it was reported that Andrew Tate was hospitalized after it was discovered that he developed lung nodules during a regular check-up.
As the case proceeds, authorities have two weeks to produce evidence against the Tate brothers to convince the courts, or apply to extend their detention while the investigation continues.
