Riot Games exec Ron Johnson is under internal investigation due to his comments regarding George Floyd’s death.
Concerning that, the Global Head of Consumer Products took a forced leave. In an alleged post, the Riot Games exec noted that:
“this type of criminal lifestyle never results in good things.”
Johnson also shared an image macro of George Floyd, with all his alleged past crimes superimposed. The list of criminal convictions Floyd had paired with a claim that says “the media and the left [has] made George Floyd into a martyr.”
Reports say Johnson has a history of alt-right posts on social media
According to reports, it seems Johnson has a bad history with people on the left and people who protest against the right. The former Disney and Nickelodeon exec is a fundamental conservative, criticizing anything that conflicts with his values.
The same report claims that on June 7, Johnson praised 49ers cornerback Drew Brees for criticizing people kneeling during the anthem. Johnson notably wrote that Brees is “an awesome american[sic] and a great person.”
It seems Brees is also anti-abortion and believes in limiting the government’s power. Johnson also posted a pro-Donald Trump meme that claims the US President is doing a good job against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The most significant post so far was a post that reflects the voice of many conservatives and alt-right. His post concludes that, while the police may have been excessive, George Floyd is partly to blame because of his criminal history.
“There is no reason to condone his killing by the officer at all, which still needs to be investigated as a potential crime,” Johnson wrote. “It is a learning opportunity for people (and your kids) to teach that this type of criminal lifestyle never results in good things happening to you or those around you.”
Riot representative calls Johnson statement “abhorrent”
Riot Games responded in kind to Vice, the company that broke the story.
“We’ve been made aware of the social media post and have launched an investigation,” said Riot to the company. “We’ll say firmly that the sentiment in that image is abhorrent, against our values, and directly counter to our belief that addressing systemic racism requires immediate societal change, which we detailed in the commitments we made Friday.
“While we don’t discuss the details of our investigations or their outcomes, we’re following our disciplinary process closely and have placed him on leave pending its conclusion.”
Riot Games is still on murky waters from a recent gender discrimination lawsuit. The company, however, is among the many video game companies that offered their support to the Black Lives Matter movement.
Images courtesy of Riot Games/Youtube Screenshots