Citizens Praise Brave Actions
Subdues Criminals Twice in a Month
An incident in which a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion subdued a suspect who sexually assaulted a teenage girl in downtown London and handed him over to the police has drawn significant attention. On December 8, Yonhap News TV, citing foreign media such as the Daily Mail, reported that the Jiu-Jitsu champion apprehended the suspect at the scene of the crime and turned him over to the police.
A sexual offender being subdued by a Jiu-Jitsu champion in central London. Screenshot from social media.
The incident occurred around 9 p.m. on December 5 near a station in London. Skoko, a Croatian-born black belt in Jiu-Jitsu, witnessed the commotion while returning home after training at the gym. Skoko is a champion who swept major tournaments in 2025, including the British Open, NAGA London, and IBJJF London Fall Open.
A suspect who sexually assaulted a teenage girl in central London was instantly subdued by a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion who happened to be at the scene. The photo shows Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion Ivan Skoko. Instagram
At the scene, a teenage girl was shouting, "This man touched my buttocks," and when two teenage boys protested to the suspect after hearing this, the suspect began to throw punches at them instead. Skoko said, "I judged the situation to be serious and crossed the street," adding, "Seeing the man use violence against the young boys, I thought, 'I have to take him down.'"
Skoko, who is known to be about 190 centimeters tall, immediately used a leg sweep technique to knock the suspect to the ground and controlled the situation by pinning him with his knee. The video filmed at the time shows the suspect fiercely resisting before ultimately being completely subdued by Skoko and then arrested by the police. He stated, "The police arrived quickly and took the suspect into custody," and added, "People should not commit such wrongful acts. I am preparing online courses so that ordinary people can learn how to protect themselves."
A video of a sexual offender being subdued by a jiu-jitsu champion in downtown London. Screenshot from social media.
About a month earlier, Skoko had also subdued a suspect who attempted to pickpocket with a hammer at London Borough Station, and people are now calling him a "citizen hero." Viewers who watched the video of him swiftly subduing the man responded positively, saying, "It was truly brave of him to step in during such a difficult situation," "It's heartwarming news," and "I hope Skoko always stays safe as well."
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