Gigi Hadid proves that she's a total badass after a man grabbed her - and she elbowed him in the face
REUTERS/Peter Power
A man lifted supermodel Gigi Hadid from the ground during Milan Fashion Week on Thursday, forcing the model to defend herself and elbow him in the face.
Vitalii Sediuk, a Ukranian-born man with a long history of red-carpet stunts on celebrities, has come forward as the man in the video, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The moment happened as the 21-year-old model was leaving the Max Mara runway show, and was captured on video. Though she was accompanied by her security team as well as her sister Bella, Hadid was grabbed from behind and lifted by Sediuk in the crowd.
She struggled to get away, even landing what looked like a very satisfying elbow blow to his face. Sediuk dropped her and ran away.
Though Hadid tried to pursue him - shouting "Who the f--- are you, you piece of sh--?!" as she did so - her security team held her at bay.
Fans were quick to point out how badass the Los Angeles-born model was for defending herself.
@GiGiHadid I'm proud of you! You were badass You showed that girls should defend themselves when pigs overstep our boundaries! GO YOU!❤️
- nadja louise (@larryresidence) September 22, 2016
@GiGiHadid is a badass for throwing elbows. Girl had to defend herself
- hey. (@Kristinainaaa) September 22, 2016
Pretty much the same thing that happened to @GiGiHadid happened to me before, I only wish I had reacted the way she did #badass
- Caitlin Madden (@caitmadden) September 22, 2016
The story was first picked up by UK tabloid The Sun, but with a grossly sexist headline: "NOT MODEL BEHAVIOR: Gigi Hadid aggressively lashes out and ELBOWS fan in the FACE after he tries to pick her up."
The publication has since changed its headline after fan backlash: "DON'T MESS WITH GIGI: Moment model Gigi Hadid elbows prankster in the face when he pounces on her in the street and lifts her off the floor."
Gigi herself has responded to the original headline, stating that the man was obviously not a fan.
"I'm a human being and had every right to defend myself," she tweeted. "How dare that idiot thinks [sic] he has the right to manhandle a complete stranger."
"He ran quick tho [sic]," she added.
THANK YOU Rachel.
To unknown article writer: fan?!!! The ACTUAL fans that were there can tell you what happened. I'm a HUMAN BEING - https://t.co/G7Pbp0G8yP
- Gigi Hadid (@GiGiHadid) September 22, 2016
and had EVERY RIGHT to defend myself. How dare that idiot thinks he has the right to man-handle a complete stranger. He ran quick tho
- Gigi Hadid (@GiGiHadid) September 22, 2016
Meanwhile, Sediuk told THR that he didn't consider grabbing Hadid without her consent an assault and that he did what he did because "[Hadid] and her friend Kendall Jenner have nothing to do with high fashion."
"By doing this, I encourage the fashion industry to put true talents on the runway and Vogue covers instead of well-connected cute girls from Instagram," Sediuk told THR.
Either way, Hadid was able to defend herself admirably, despite a slow response from security. That'll teach the creep to mess with a supermodel who does kickboxing.
Way to go, Gigi!
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