Ryan Lochte's Dancing with the Stars protesters defend their actions to the ground and may even be plotting a lawsuit against the show's security team.
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Unaired Dancing with the Stars footage shows Sotoodeh being roughly tackled to the ground onstage by a security guard, and the 59-year-old protester told TMZ he doesn't appreciate being handled with excessive force simply because of a "non-violent protest."
"Our purpose is to get the message out that Lochte is a coward, a liar and under Brazilian law, a criminal," Sotoodeh told TMZ, referencing the Olympic swimmer's Summer 2016 scandal in Rio in which he fabricated a story about being robbed at gunpoint when he actually helped to vandalize a gas station's bathroom.
"I don't understand why [security] did that. I wasn't even going towards Lochte, I was going in a different direction. This guy runs out, unnecessarily tackles me and hurts me. I have bruises, my back also hurts and my neck hurts. Why?"
Sotoodeh and Soroudi jumped in front of the judges and DWTS host Tom Bergeron wearing white anti-Lochte T-shirts during the broadcast. The men reportedly yelled "liar" multiple times at Lochte.
"[The security guard] could've come and said, 'Please get off the stage...' and handle it in a civilized manner," Sotoodeh continued. "When he was taking me out, he punched me and kicked me!"
Soroudi echoed Sotoodeh's sentiments and explained why they felt it was important to protest Lochte's Dancing with the Stars participation.
"We didn't agree obviously with the Walt Disney Company choosing Lochte to represent Americans. Yes, he did receive gold medals but what he did in Rio did not represent Americans well," 25-year-old Soroudi told TMZ, adding that the "climate changed" in Rio and "Americans became targets" after Lochte lied.
"The Brazilians felt insulted and it became very difficult for Americans there. I want the world to know, we want America to know, that we don't take what he did lightly. He embarrassed Americans on the world's stage and this was our form of protesting."
When discussing his overnight stay in the LAPD Metropolitan Detention Center, the younger protester admitted he "absolutely" has no regrets and "wouldn't mind going back" to the facility because the police were very "nice" and "professional."
The protesters were released from the detention center Tuesday morning at 11AM, according to ABC News, with their bail set at $1,000 each. They were charged with trespassing and are due back in court October 4.
Following the incident, a Dancing with the Stars representative told ABC News, "A full evaluation of security procedures" is taking place, and "any changes deemed necessary" will be made to ensure the cast and crew's safety.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
