Fans fear for a popular YouTuber's safety after she reveals her team was attacked outside the ongoing Diddy trial.
With over five million subscribers, Stephanie Soo runs a true-crime channel that recently claimed the No. 1 spot on YouTube's Top 100 podcast chart. Her Rotten Mango podcast beat Joe Rogan for the second week in a row as she's recently been providing daily coverage of disgraced rapper Sean 'Diddy' Combs' federal trial, where he's being charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation for prostitution.
However, Soo's involvement with the case may have put her and her team in danger as fans worry for her safety. Last week, the podcaster noticed what appeared to be Combs mouthing a few threatening words to her in the courtroom.
“I think Diddy might know us. I don't know, maybe," she described on her TikTok.
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Now, the situation outside the courthouse appears to be getting increasingly volatile.
Soo described that one of her team members arrived early to secure a spot at the courthouse, but was suddenly approached by an aggressive stranger.
"Just a few days ago, one of our team members was waiting in the line super early, [they] gets harassed to the point of tears," the journalist explained. "A passerby is cursing at her screaming belligerently at her, tries to snatch her phone from her hand."
The content creator added: "This is completely unprompted. She's screaming racist slurs at our team member's face."
Soo mentioned that bystanders did nothing to help and instead pulled out their phones to live stream and film the disturbing incident. According to the 29-year-old, it was only after things calmed down that anyone actually checked if her team member was okay, adding that the lack of human decency is 'so dystopian.'
Adding to the chaos, Soo said she was warned about a man outside the courthouse swinging around a pool ball in a sock, threatening to 'hit people with it.'
The most troubling aspect is that law enforcement appears to offer minimal protection, seemingly only helping reporters cross the street rather than actually securing them against aggressive protesters and potential threats.
Meanwhile, protestors across the street are wearing 'Free Diddy' and 'Free Puff' T-shirts that were 'allegedly getting paid $20 an hour to stand outside[...] to promote the Diddy Coin.' If you weren't familiar, the Diddy coin is a cryptocurrency that reached $180 million in value just before the trial began over a month ago.
The news of the attack and potential courthouse recognition has led to Soo's fanbase, pleading for her to prioritise her safety over content creation.
"DUDE PLEASE GET A BODYGUARD IM BEGGING," wrote one concerned fan while another responded: "I’m stressing out for them to get safety".
Another claimed: "I don’t even watch rotten mango but I’m scared for you girl stay safe".
Someone else advised: "Go on a vacation somewhere safe, create a new identity please get safe, I’m actually worried for you".