Arnold Schwarzenegger Attacked By A “Crazed Fan” In South Africa

This week, while attending the Arnold Classic Africa sporting event in South Africa, Hollywood actor Arnold Schwarzenegger was attacked by someone in the crowd.

The attacker, who has not yet been named by the media, was restrained by security quickly after the attack. In videos of the incident, the mysterious attacker can be seen running up to Schwarzenegger and drop kicking him. The attacker has been described as a “crazed fan,” by witnesses.

However, Schwarzenegger wasn’t even phased by the attack, and barely felt the kick. The 71 year old actor and former California government just thought that he was getting “jostled” by the crowd.

The altercation took place during a skipping competition at his Arnold Classic Africa sporting event.

And if you have to share the video (I get it), pick a blurry one without whatever he was yelling so he doesn’t get the spotlight.

By the way… block or charge? pic.twitter.com/TEmFRCZPEA

— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) May 18, 2019

News quickly spread of the attack, but Schwarzenegger told his fans that he was ok and that there was “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,” Schwarzenegger Tweeted to his fans.

“We have 90 sports here in South Africa at the @ArnoldSports, and 24,000 athletes of all ages and abilities inspiring all of us to get off the couch. Let’s put this spotlight on them,” he later wrote on another post on Twitter.

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

It is not clear what provoked the attack, but it seemed that the man was trying to yell something as carried out the attack, so it is possible that it was some sort of protest.

As the man was carried away, some witnesses reported that he shouted: “Help me, I need a Lamborghini,” but this leaves more questions than answers.

Make sure to tune into my @Snapchat to see all 90 sports we have here at the @ArnoldSports Africa! Fitness is for everyone. pic.twitter.com/bNjSTQS9Aj

— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) May 18, 2019

“Three years ago, four South African bodybuilding and sports enthusiasts collaborated to make the Arnold Sports Festival a reality on the African continent under the broad theme ‘My Sport, My Passion’. In partnership with the Gauteng Provincial Government and the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), Arnold Classic Africa affords athletes the opportunity to compete in an international competition, against participants from all continents, in Africa. Like its global counterparts, the African rendition embraces numerous sporting codes and promotes these through demonstrations, contests, record attempts and sports celebrities over three days each May,” The Arnold Classic Africa website says.

Arnold Sport Festival Africa 2019 will take place over 4 venues, Sandton Convention Centre is the main venue, where the Trade Expo will also take place, Crawford College will host some of our various sporting codes, Country Club Johannesburg will be the venue for our Golf Classic, and Ten Pin Bowling will take place at the Northcliff Bowl.

Schwarzenegger with then-wife Maria Shriver at the 2007 Special Olympics in Shanghai / Photo Credit: Silvia Cestar, Wikipedia

Schwarzenegger has been involved with the Special Olympics for many years after they were founded by his ex-mother-in-law, Eunice Kennedy Shriver. In 2007, Schwarzenegger was the official spokesperson for the Special Olympics which were held in Shanghai, China.

In 1995, he founded the Inner City Games Foundation (ICG) which provides cultural, educational and community enrichment programming to youth. ICG is active in 15 cities around the country and serves over 250,000 children in over 400 schools countrywide.

He has also been involved with After-School All-Stars and founded the Los Angeles branch in 2002. ASAS is an after school program provider, educating youth about health, fitness, and nutrition.

Governor Schwarzenegger during his visit to Naval Medical Center in San Diego, July 2010. / Photo Credit U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Chelsea A. Radford

In 2012, Schwarzenegger helped to found the Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy, which is a part of the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California.

The Institute’s mission is to advance “post-partisanship, where leaders put people over political parties and work together to find the best ideas and solutions to benefit the people they serve” and to “seek to influence public policy and public debate in finding solutions to the serious challenges we face”.

Schwarzenegger is currently in good health, and did not sustain any injuries from this week’s attack. He has asked his fans to not pay the attack any mind, but instead, give their attention to the great athletes who are competing at the event this week.

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