On Feb. 8, 2021, professional bodybuilder Nathan De Asha posted a video to his Instagram of him being arrested by a group of police officers. De Asha provided more context around the arrest on Feb. 9, 2021, on his gym’s Instagram page. He states that the charges against him are “kidnapping charges, two police assault charges, [driving to endanger] for leaving the engine of my car on.” You can watch the initial video of De Asha’s arrest below. This is a developing story, and BarBend will update this article as more information is provided.
Disclaimer: The following video contains sensitive footage that some viewers may find disturbing.
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In the video, De Asha, clearly handcuffed, is eventually surrounded by up to 10 police officers (one of which has a police dog with him). One of the officers is seen throwing a knee to De Asha’s stomach before the bodybuilder is dragged to the ground and further restrained. The caption of De Asha’s video read:
What the news doesn’t show you. The truth.
According to his Instagram page, De Asha, who owns and operates Prophecy Performance Centre in Liverpool, UK, has kept his gym open despite the order to close down due to COVID-19. After he decided to remain open, De Asha has had a few encounters with local law enforcement, which he has routinely posted about on Instagram.
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In October of 2020, De Asha — who is 33 years old — posted a video to Instagram explaining why he stayed open. Namely, he cited finances as the main reason why the PPC should stay open. Three weeks later, he posted again, stating that they “won” and were reopening. Still, interactions with police persisted.
In November of 2020, De Asha — a competitor known for his chest size, round shoulders, and mountainous biceps — posted a video of two officers confronting him outside of his gym. The interaction seemed amicable enough, and De Asha claimed that the officers were there for “another lockdown interaction.”
Then, in an Instagram post made on Jan. 29, 2021, De Asha claims he went to check on his gym after the alarm went off, and camera footage showed police trying to enter. He posted a minute-and-a-half long interaction with the officer and revealed that he was fined (how much isn’t known) “under the COVID guidelines.” Five days later, De Asha posted yet another interaction with the police. In the video was De Asha, whoever was filming, and an officer inside his empty gym. De Asha appears to be giving the officer a tour of his gym. The post stated that there were “four matrix vans and eight armed police.”
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Before the COVID-19 pandemic, De Asha — the 2018 New York Pro and 2019 British Grand Prix Pro Men’s Bodybuilding champion — pleaded guilty to selling steroids in 2017. De Asha — who had to miss the 2019 Mr. Olympia to attend court — was issued a 12-month long suspended jail sentence at Exeter Crown Court.
Update, Feb. 10, 2021:
On Feb. 9, 2021, De Asha posted an IG Live video to his gym’s Instagram account revealing more details of the incidents. On Feb. 8, 2020, the BBC reported that two were arrested and 52 gym-goers were fined by Merseyside Police (Merseyside being a county in England) for disobeying COVID-19 restrictions. Apparently, Prophecy Performance Centre broke fire safety rules as all the fire doors were padlocked. In addition to claiming he passed fire checks, De Asha had this to say in his IG Live video:
“Everyone who got a fine, Prophecy Performance Centre will help you fight the fine. That being said, the young guy who snapped his leg is off work for six months. We’re going to help him.”
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That “guy” De Asha referenced is unnamed but was seen in security footage — released roughly 24 hours after the initial video of De Asha’s arrest — being struck by an officer with a baton. The man appears to be running away from the gym and the officer. There is no more context about that specific incident.
Featured image: @nathandeasha on Instagram
