In the wake of the death of George Floyd, many celebrities have used their platforms to speak out against racism and police brutality.
Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on May 25th after a white police officer pressed his knee onto his neck for several minutes. The incident, which was caught on video and involved multiple officers, has sparked intense national outrage, with protests across the country along with demands for justice on social media.
Celebrities including Beyoncé, Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Post Malone, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Little Nas X, and many more have taken to social media to honor Floyd’s memory while urging their fans to get involved.
Grande, 26, was spotted at a Black Lives Matter protest in Los Angeles on Saturday, where she wore a mask and held up a sign that read “Black Lives Matter.” Earlier, the singer urged her followers to get involved in the movement via Instagram. “A lot of things feel scary, dangerous and uncertain right now … but there are things within our control: voting, contacting lawmakers, and taking the census,” Grande wrote on Friday.
“A true patriot is someone who will rebel against the government if it becomes necessary, to protect the greater good of their fellow citizens. We are patriots,” Halsey tweeted. “If you are not, you are a coward. THIS is what democracy looks like.”
Taylor Swift lashed out at President Donald Trump on Friday for his late-night tweet threatening violence against protesters in Minnesota, tweeting that Trump has been “stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism (his) entire presidency.” “After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence? When the looting starts the shooting starts’???” she tweeted. She tagged Trump in her tweet, adding: “We will vote you out in November.” Within hours, Swift’s tweet had received more than a million likes, making it the singer’s most-liked post on Twitter.