A man who broke up a fight between two teenagers, and was captured in a Facebook video doing it, is earning wide praise over social media for intervening.
The clip starts with a fistfight on an Atlantic City street corner between two boys as other youths record it on their phones. The man walks up, gets between the two and tells the onlookers that they’re cowards for recording the scuffle.
Editor’s Note: Some graphic language
“Look, they laughing. Look,” the man says while gesturing to the gathered crowd. “He’s got a big smile on his face. … He’s supposed to be your man.”
The stranger, whose identity is unclear, then tells the teens they are “almost men” and need to start acting like it.
“Y’all got parents. Don’t make your parents look like this,” he said.
After learning from the teen combatants that they had no idea why they started fighting, the man refused to leave until they both shook hands.
The video has been viewed more than 21 million times on Facebook.
Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James was among the many who saluted the man “who stepped in and spoke real to our young generation.”
So dope!!! #Salute the homie who stepped in and spoke real to our young generation. We all need a word or 2 to help! https://t.co/hJ4BT611sw
— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 21, 2017
Others echoed James’ sentiments.
We need more people like him to step up! WOW! 💪🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/SmYzuVJnqj
— Sept 4th (@DubOnDaBeatz) March 21, 2017
One of the most powerful things I’ve watched in awhile: “Man deescalates teen street fight in viral video” https://t.co/GCRbKgHBVZ @theGrio
— Natasha Alford (@NatashaSAlford) March 21, 2017
This Worldstar fight video has the most unexpected ending and it has millions of views on Facebook. We need more of this in 2017! pic.twitter.com/occLKTr38V
— JMK 🇰🇪 (@JMKTV) March 21, 2017
This is a REAL man right here! Y’all youngins need to watch and learn from this video about your “friends”…salute to this dude! https://t.co/YMau4bv4gm
— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) March 21, 2017
More MEN are needed in this world like this. #RealTalk https://t.co/cLuPrmrJvq
— Jerry Hairston, Jr. (@TheRealJHair) March 21, 2017
With reporting by AP