FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's ZOLTAN BATHORY Calls For Unity, Denounces Violent Protests, Looting

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory has condemned the destruction and violence that has broken out across the country in response to the death of George Floyd.

Although protests were largely peaceful as demonstrators marched in the streets from Los Angeles to New York, there were widespread reports of looting and confrontations with the police in cities across the United States. A number of businesses were destroyed during the riots, which have spread to cities large and small. Curfews were enacted in more than two dozen cities and the National Guard was summoned in at least 12 states.

Late Sunday night (May 31),Bathory — a regular supporter of law enforcement in his hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada — took to his Instagram to write: "Being a long time supporter of 1st responders - I Got a few messages asking 'if I still support them after all this' [?] Yes... I support the constitution, truth, justice, human rights and our civil liberties and I support all those who defend it. I support the kind of Police, who - just like the rest of us - are disgusted by the actions of that POS murderer and his colleagues who were assisting or standing idle - they tarnished the badge, violated the oath - and without a question they murdered George. No sane person can watch that video without disgust and absolute fucking Rage. Justice needs to be Served 1000% to its full extent for all involved. The absolute maximum and then some.

"However, don't let politically motivated goons hijack your emotions, push you where you should not go , and divide this nation even further. Focus on the guilty and focus on the problem - and the solution of the problem. Beating up innocents, robbing their stores, setting communities on fire have nothing to do with justice, and certainly isn't done in the honor of Georg Floyd – don't join the senseless violent mob - they are not helping - they are not here for YOU - and they make all of this much much worse. Oh.... And to some blue checkmarks and media jackasses who were instigating and fanning the flame, may you rot in hell - now there is blood on your hands too"

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed in Minneapolis by a police officer in an incident caught on camera. The officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeled on his neck for nearly ten minutes while Floyd was handcuffed. Chauvin has since been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

In 2019, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH donated $65,000 in music proceeds to the Gary Sinise Foundation, an organization honoring first responders and veterans. A year earlier, the band donated $95,000 to Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.),a group supporting the survivors affected by deaths in the line of duty.

Bathory also is an advocate for Nevada's Injured Police Officers Fund (IPOF),a fund set up to assist officers injured on the job or family members left behind by a fallen hero. He's been supporting the IPOF with yearly donations and most recently has donated funds to the grieving family of fallen NHP Sgt Ben Jenkins. In January 2019, Bathory also made a donation in support of another Nevada state trooper whose house was severely damaged by a fire displacing the trooper, his wife and three young children.