Ariana Grande, Tessa Thompson, Halsey Join George Floyd Protests
As protests over the death of George Floyd continued around the country, celebrities ― including Ariana Grande, Halsey, Tessa Thompson, Nick Cannon and Timothée Chalamet ― took to the streets to protest police violence and call for justice.
In Los Angeles, where numerous celebrities joined demonstrations, some gatherings turned violent, prompting the activation of the National Guard and a state of emergency to be declared late on Saturday.
Grande, who had urged followers on Instagram to get involved, was seen Saturday with a Black Lives Matter sign at a Los Angeles protest.
She tweeted Sunday that there were “hours and miles of peaceful protesting yesterday that got little to no coverage.”
More photos of Ariana at the LA protest for the #BlackLivesMatter movement yesterday pic.twitter.com/Dq8N2yALPS
— Ariana Grande Today (@ArianaToday) May 31, 2020
hours and miles of peaceful protesting yesterday that got little to no coverage.
all throughout beverly hills and west hollywood we chanted, people beeped and cheered along.
we were passionate, we were loud, we were loving.
cover this too please. #BLACKLIVESMATTER https://t.co/vD90CEtF94 pic.twitter.com/GZ6uKDfPM7— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) May 31, 2020
Singer Halsey streamed live on Instagram Saturday as police appeared to fire rubber bullets. On Twitter, she said protesters had not antagonized police or breached the line, but police fired tear gas and rubber bullets nonetheless. She attended another protest Sunday and urged that people “listen to the Black people speaking.”
She added: “If they are venting their pain and anguish out loud do not speak over them. Allies are there to help when help is needed. Not take control of the narrative. there’s enough of that already.”
fired rubber bullets at us. we did not breach the line. hands were up. unmoving. and they gassed and fired. pic.twitter.com/K8YauF0APn
— h (@halsey) May 31, 2020
halsey’s insta live at the la protest and the police were starting to shoot plastic bullets at people then her livestream ended :(((( pic.twitter.com/dhws0jpegi
— ciana | blm (@ikeepcruisin) May 30, 2020
“Insecure” actor Kendrick Sampson said he was struck seven times by rubber bullets and said he was beaten with batons at a Los Angeles protests. He later shared images of several injuries on Instagram.
Glad I y’all witnessed this. Esp the video of them actually targeting us. He didn’t try to ricochet the bullets of the ground - one tactic - he pointed the gun DIRECTLY AT ME. I actually got hit 7 times with rubber bullets and many with batons. My boy has stitches. #DEFUNDPOLICE https://t.co/q6DLRnqlYG
— Kendrick Sampson (@kendrick38) May 31, 2020
Actor Tessa Thompson shared footage from a Los Angeles protest, which she said was “entirely peaceful” until the Los Angeles Police Department “arrived and escalated it.” Demonstrators are heard chanting “This is our America” in her video.
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— Tessa Thompson (@TessaThompson_x) May 31, 2020
I can say that the #LosAngelesProtest was entirely peaceful until the @LAPDHQ arrived and escalated it. @MayorOfLA are you seeing this? Also, where was the robust media coverage then ? #BlackLivesMatter
— Tessa Thompson (@TessaThompson_x) May 30, 2020
Singer-songwriter Kehlani also attended the Black Lives Matter protest in Los Angeles, and applauded her fellow protesters.
She urged followers to attend events “organized the right way by the right group of people” in an Instagram story on Sunday.
Kehlani showing love and supporting the #Blacklivesmatter movement yesterday in LA✊🏽. NO JUSTICE NO PEACE pic.twitter.com/JvUkuBkJx5
— KEHLANI DAILY (@kehlanidaiIy) May 31, 2020
“The Masked Singer” host and rapper Nick Cannon shared numerous images and videos from a Minneapolis protest. He wore a shirt emblazoned with Floyd’s final words, “I can’t breathe.” He also shared a spoken-word video on Sunday which, using those words as a recurring theme, decries systemic racism and police brutality.
And on Friday, actor Jamie Foxx, too, was seen in Minneapolis, where he spoke at a rally calling for the arrest of the four officers involved in Floyd’s death. He said “we are not afraid of this moment” and stood in solidarity with social justice advocates on the front lines.
″To all of my friends who aren’t black, just try to put yourself in our position,” Foxx said.
If you’re a Black celebrity and you don’t sound like this, we don’t wanna here from you. Not now. Not ever. Thank you, Jamie Foxx, for speaking up in defense of people who are frustrated, hurting and tired. pic.twitter.com/UgI3tFpQm0
— Kirk Moore (@KirkWrites79) May 30, 2020
Other celebrities seen at protests in various cities include Emily Ratajkowski, Michael B. Jordan, Timothée Chalamet, John Cusack, J. Cole, Paris Jackson, Lil Yachty and Machine Gun Kelly.
J. Cole out here protesting with the people. He’s living his raps 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/LseTbMUszy
— BlackySpeakz (@BlackySpeakz) May 31, 2020
Mgk too!! pic.twitter.com/0fQlIBbXAo
— Shraman Zo-c (@ZoShraman) May 31, 2020
CORRECTION: This article initially misstated the actor Tessa Thompson’s last name.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.