Will Smith Slap: Oscars Organisers to investigate and take action
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has said it will investigate the violent incident that ensued between Actor, Will Smith and Comedian, Chris Rock and take further action on the matter.
In a statement published on Twitter, the Academy condemned the act while stressing it does not condone violence of any sort.
According to reports, organisers contemplated excusing Will Smith from the venue of the awards ceremony after he went on stage and smacked Chris Rock who had made a GI Jane joke referencing Will’s wife and her bald head which she now carries following an Alopecia diagnosis.
“The Academy does not condone violence of any form,” AMPAS tweeted on Monday.
Meanwhile, local media reports quoted a spokesman as saying;
“The Academy condemns the actions of Mr. Smith at last night’s show,”
“We have officially started a formal review around the accident and will explore further actions and consequences in accordance with our Bylaws, standards of conduct and California law.”
Reports say Rock refused to file assault charges against Smith who won his first Oscar 25 years after his first nomination on the same night.
The incident has sparked reactions across the world, with celebrities making online comments while social media users share videos, images, and their opinions on the matter.
It is one of the most trending topic and hashtags such as Will Smith, Chris Rock, Jada, Oscars, Alopecia have continued to stay at the top list of trending hashtags since Monday, across social media.
