'ZOMBIES EVERYWHERE': UFC champion Sean Strickland calls Edmonton a ‘trash can’ over open drug use

CALGARY — UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland blasted Edmonton, calling Alberta’s capital a “trash can” and criticizing open drug use during a visit to the city.Late Tuesday night, the 35-year-old American fighter posted on the social media platform X that people who told him that “Edmonton is ghetto have clearly never been to a major US city.”.However, on Wednesday, Strickland reversed his position and criticized the city after visiting the downtown area.“Left downtown and yep this place is a trash can,” he said.“Zombies everywhere... It's not American I might have to kill a crack head bad but it's definitely an open drug market with zero police.”.His comments came as the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) announced Wednesday that it was expanding targeted enforcement through its Safer Edmonton Initiative and reported reductions in downtown crime severity.EPS said increased police visibility, intelligence-led deployments and targeted enforcement were helping address crime, violence and social disorder, reporting a 13.6% reduction in crime severity in the downtown area..Police report drop in crime as Safer Edmonton initiative expands citywide.“Edmontonians and our many business and community partners have made their concerns clear: they want a safer Edmonton,” said EPS Police Operations Chief Devin Laforce.“We hear you and we see how issues such as open-air drug use, violence and petty property crime have contributed to ongoing social disorder and community safety concerns.”Strickland later posted a video of himself walking in Edmonton, showing what appears to be two drug addicts in the background, with one appearing to stagger and another lying on the ground..“Pretty confident this man is dead or least freshly assaulted from the Crack head mumbling,” Strickland said..Many who saw Strickland’s posts blamed the ongoing drug and crime issues on the city’s leadership.“You’re exactly right, Sean. Most people I know who grew up in Edmonton have already left. The city is run by socialists and weak men,” the Rise of Alberta account wrote..Another account, YEGWhisper, said, “Edmonton isn’t a ghetto; the city council is. It’s an elite, liberal, condescending ghetto.”“If you think Edmonton is bad, you should see the rest of the country,” another X user stated.“Canada is a zombie apocalypse.”.UPDATED: UFC champion Sean Strickland sparks Alberta independence buzz before Edmonton event.Strickland made waves in Alberta on Sunday when he tweeted “#freealberta” and later said he would try to attend the independence movement’s Rally for Alberta event at the legislature grounds on October 17, two days before the province-wide referendum, drawing praise from numerous prominent independence figures.The Anaheim, California, native is currently in Edmonton for UFC Fight Night at Rogers Place on October 17, where the main event features welterweights Joaquin Buckley and Canadian Mike Malott.

'ZOMBIES EVERYWHERE': UFC champion Sean Strickland calls Edmonton a ‘trash can’ over open drug use

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