i dnt knw wat to make of this.
Self-proclaimed superhero
Phoenix Jones has dramatically
unmasked himself outside a
Seattle court as he vowed to
keep fighting crime despite
being accused of assault.
The man behind the mask,
Benjamin Fodor, reveals himself
to the world
The vigilante appeared for a
hearing on Thursday dressed in
his back-up superhero costume -
a black-and-yellow mask that he
removed before reporters to
confirm his real identity.
The one-time mixed-martial-arts
competitor, whose real name is
Benjamin Fodor, was arrested
early Sunday morning.
Police said he pepper-sprayed a
group of innocent nightclub-
goers he believed were involved
in a street brawl.
He was jailed briefly on suspicion
of four counts of assault and
released on $3,800 (£2,400) bail.
Mr Fodor said he was confident
that a 13-minute video of
Sunday's altercation, taken by a
member of his entourage,
proved him innocent.
The video, which was posted on
the Internet, showed Mr Fodor
being alerted to what he believed
to be a "huge fight".
The footage shows him rushing
on foot toward a crowd yelling
"call 911" (the emergency
services number in the US), then
wading into the group with a
can of pepper spray.
Some in the crowd angrily fought
back, with one woman
screaming and beating Mr Fodor
with her shoes before police
finally arrived on the scene.
To his fury, Mr Fodor's true
identity was revealed for the first
time by media after his arrest.
On Thursday, he initially showed
up to the Seattle Municipal Court
wearing a pinstriped shirt but
covering his face with his mask.
I'm Phoenix Jones. I'm also Ben
Fodor. I also protect the city, I
also am a father, I also am a
brother. I'm just like everyone
else.
Benjamin Fodor, speaking
outside a Seattle court.
Then, flanked by his lawyers and
speaking with reporters outside
the King County Jail on Thursday,
he removed the mask and
confirmed his real identity.
"I'm Phoenix Jones," he declared.
"I'm also Ben Fodor.
"I also protect the city, I also am a
father, I also am a brother. I'm
just like everyone else.
"The only difference is that I
decided to make a difference and
stop crime in my neighbourhood
and my area.
"I intend to keep making that
difference. The charges were
false."
He then abandoned his
pinstriped shirt on a sidewalk,
revealing a faded black rubber
shirt he claimed was his back-up
costume, and strode off.
Police, he said, still have his main
costume - which includes a
moulded black-and-yellow suit of
body armour.
Mr Fodor has become something
of a national celebrity since he
began patrolling downtown
Seattle streets a year ago to
break up fights and alert police
to other petty crimes.
In addition to pepper spray, he is
known to carry a stun gun and a
mobile phone on his late-night
rounds.
He also attends charity events on
request.
Prosecutors said they have not
filed charges against Mr Fodor
but that he remains under
investigation, and a case could
be brought against him at a later
time.
Mr Fodor said he planned to
resume his vigilante work
immediately, and called on Seattle
citizens to join him downtown
on Saturday night.
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