Jussie Smollett says he was 'set up' from the beginning, claims witnesses saw 2 white men attack him

Actor Jussie Smollett said that he was set up from the beginning of the investigation into his racist attack claims, and claims that there were two witnesses who saw "exactly" what he said he saw.The actor made the claims in a rare interview with activist Marc Lamont Hill on Instagram Live on Wednesday"I would say, and again you know, I have to be careful what I say because I'm still in a course case but, at the same time it's out there, there are also two other witnesses who saw white men, so, you know, saw exactly what I say that I saw," said Smollett."These are things that people don't necessarily know because the lies and the things that were not true were yelled from the rooftop, but then the second that something came out that corroborated everything I said, all of a sudden it was not even a whisper," he added.

Smollett claimed in 2019 that he was attacked by two white men spewing pro-Trump slogans and homophobic slurs in Chicago. He said that they sprayed him with a fluid like bleach and forced him to wear a noose.

Police later charged him with making false reports after they identified and questioned two Nigerian brothers who said that Smollett had paid them to fake the attack in order to garner public sympathy.

"It was set up to seem like I was lying"

Smollett went on in the interview to claim that he was set up and that someone was making an example of him.

"It's been beyond frustrating, and I certainly am not going rogue," he said. "I'm still taking the advice of my attorneys and everything like that, but I don't really see, honestly, what staying quiet has really done, like, where it has gotten me."

Smollett continued to deny the claims that he had orchestrated a race hoax in the interview with Hill.

"They won't let this go," he said.

"It doesn't matter," he added, "there is an example being made. And the sad part is that there is an example being made of someone who did not do what they are being accused of."

He added that the last thing he wants is to be portrayed as a victim.

"From the very, very beginning, it was set up to seem like I was lying about something or everything," he claimed.

Smollett is facing charges of disorderly conduct after the first charges against him were dismissed.