Video of a crowd showing support for Luigi Mangione, the suspect charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, outside his jail has gone viral on social media.
In the clip, people can be seen ringing bells and banging The Home Depot buckets, while a placard reading “FREE THEM ALL” lays on the ground. About 20 people can be seen outside Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, New York City’s only federal jail.
“So moving to see people actually being out there and going out to support Luigi!” wrote @kingkashed, the TikTok account which posted the video online on Thursday.
The post has been viewed more than 590,000 ties and received more than 81,000 likes.
Why It Matters
Anger at the U.S. private healthcare system has helped Mangione become revered as a cult hero in some quarters since he first faced murder and terrorism charges over the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a 50-year-old father of two.
The 26-year-old suspect has received social media posts in support, comments about his attractiveness, young women attending court sessions, and even depictions comparing him to Jesus.
What To Know
The account that posted the video has frequently posted content about Mangione, and said it was “going into 2025 with the same obsession” alongside a video that zoomed into a photo of Mangione.
The account also posted another video of Mangione that went viral on December 11. It shows Mangione lifting his arm up and down in front of a robot. The account user wrote, “newly resurfaced video of a young luigi mangione training robots.” The video accumulated more than 2.1 million views.
Mangione appeared in court on December 19 to face four federal charges, including two counts of stalking, one count of murder through use of a firearm, which carries a maximum sentence of the death penalty, and a firearms offense. He denies the charges.
He also pled not guilty on December 23 to 11 state criminal counts, including first-degree murder and murder as an act of terrorism.
Mangione has gathered support online since he was arrested, and after his court appearance, one photo of him smiling in court, and another in the back seat of a car when leaving court, went viral on the internet.
The fandom after his court appearance also bolstered demand for clothing from certain U.S. retailers. For example, sales for a burgundy Merino crewneck sweater worn by Mangione during his court appearance sold out at Nordstrom within a day.
What People Are Saying
Mangione’s lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo, in court: “I am very concerned about my client’s right to a fair trial in this case. He is being prejudiced by some statements that are being made by government officials.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams: “I want to thank all the individuals and law enforcement who helped bring this suspect into custody. The NYPD stops at nothing to catch criminals.”
President-elect Donald Trump: “I think it’s a terrible thing. I think it’s really terrible that some people seem to admire him, like him.”
What’s Next
Mangione is being held without bail in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. His next federal court appearance is set for January 18 and he is due back in state court on February 21.
Do you have a story Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com.
Read the full article here
