Video: Pro-Palestine protesters trap ex-UFC champ Jamahal Hill in New York City

11/11/2023 20:26

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill found himself briefly trapped in the middle of a pro-Palestine protest in New York City on Friday.

Hill said he was hit by something in the forehead when protesters allegedly smashed out a window of the van he and his team were traveling in, he said in a video posted to Instagram. In another video, the ex-champ was restrained from getting out of the van. He later called on his supporters to "come get these people up off our bus" as the protesters surrounded the vehicle.

In another video posted on Instagram, a man identified by Hill's manager as the van's driver can be seen confronting protesters after they open his door, prompting him to slam it shut.

In a text message to MMA Fighting, manager Brian Butler of Suckerpunch Entertainment wrote there were no injuries from the incident. He said the van was trapped for 10-15 minutes before UFC security and New York police arrived on foot to assist.

"The tires were all slashed so we couldn't go far," Butler wrote. "Ended up getting out and walking the rest of the way after we cleared the scene. It could have gone very, very wrong, but luckily, it didn't."

Hill and his team were in downtown New York City for a fan event at the Nebula NY nightclub after the UFC 295 ceremonial weigh-ins at Madison Square Garden. Hill could face the winner of Saturday's headliner, a fight for the vacant light heavyweight title between Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira. He relinquished the title earlier this year after suffering an Achilles heel injury.

The protest marked the second night in which pro-Palestine protesters shut down traffic in midtown Manhattan. Thousands attended the protest, demanding a ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and Palestine. Six were arrested for disorderly conduct, according to a local ABC affiliate.

Check out the video Hill posted from the incident.