After months of being in jail, the influential Top G Andrew Tate has been released from prison on house arrest. During December, he, along with his brother and two Romanian women, was taken into custody on allegations related to human trafficking, rape, and the formation of an organized criminal group.
The news came as a surprise to many of his fans. The social media star, portrayed on South Park as Alonzo Fineski, amassed millions of followers after a series of clips of him made their way online.
Top G is finally free
These videos often depicted Tate making controversial statements regarding the roles of men and women in society, and he was frequently accused of misogynistic views. His views have earned him a large following, but he has also been banned from many social media sites for hate speech and his use of inappropriate language in his posts.
While he has been in detention, he has sent a variety of messages to his followers on social media. Some have been funny, such as a newsletter about the “cockroaches, lice and bed bugs” who are his “only friends at night.” Others have sounded more serious, such as a letter in which he wrote about how society is constantly telling him that women “belong” to men.
One of the most popular messages he has sent to his followers is that men need to stay in charge and control the power structure in their society. He believes that it is not their job to let go of their dominance over women, and he says they should continue to hold on as long as they can because it is their birthright.
Bad news for the Tate brothers?
His message is so popular that he has even influenced politicians. In Scotland, for example, former prime minister Nicola Sturgeon and health secretary Humza Yousaf reportedly took up his message as they campaigned for independence.
Aside from his political beliefs, he is also known for being a misogynist and having been banned from many social media sites for making derogatory comments about women and false rape accusations.
But despite these claims, his supporters are still cheering him on. Some have taken to Twitter to congratulate him on his release and to poke fun at his hair, which they said was very thin while he was in prison.
What’s next for the Tates?
He has been in prison for the past three months, and his detention has been extended several times. Initially detained in late December, he has now been granted release from prison by the Bucharest Court of Appeal, as ruled on Friday.
However, this isn’t the end of his troubles. He will still have to fight a court case over his arrest and charges in the coming weeks, according to Ramona Bolla of the Romanian anti-organized crime agency DIICOT.
Moreover, prosecutors are expected to ask to extend the investigation for another 30 days at the end of April. That would mean that the trial could be delayed again until June, when it would be six months after his initial arrest.
In the meantime, fans are hoping that Tate and his brother will be able to resume their lives, and if he can do that, they’ll see him back on social media soon. His presence is felt by millions of followers across Twitter and Instagram.
