Watching George Floyd suffocate till death at the knee of a Minneapolis police officer was one of the most heartbreaking things that happened this week. His last words, “I can’t breathe”, can never be forgotten so easily.
Celebrities from Beyoncé, Cardi B, Lizzo, Jamie Foxx, Justin Bieber and Oprah Winfrey are speaking up, taking action against inequality, police brutality and taking a stand.
The horrifying story of Floyd’s death is sparking protests around America, and other countries around the world. Many stars are using their social media platforms to speak out and share their emotions about the incident.
Beyoncé urged her fans to sign several petitions to seek justice for Floyd in a rare Instagram statement Friday. She captioned the video:
“We need justice for George Floyd. We all witnessed his murder in broad daylight. We are broken and disgusted. We cannot normalize this pain,” the star said. “No more senseless killing of human beings. No more seeing people of colour less than human. We can no longer look away. George is all of our family in humanity. He’s our family because he’s a fellow American.”
She added that there have been “too many times that we’ve seen these violent killings and no consequences.”
Justin Bieber posted a video of the death of George Floyd on his Instagram. He wrote:
THIS MUST STOP
this makes me absolutely sick. This makes me angry this man DIED. This makes me sad. Racism is evil We need to use our voice! Please people. I’m sorry GEORGE FLOYD
Oprah is also speaking up. She wrote on Instagram:
I’ve been trying to process what can be said or heard in this moment. I haven’t been able to get the image of the knee on his neck out of my head. It’s there every morning when I rise and when I go through the ordinary duties of the day. While pouring coffee, lacing my shoes, and taking a breath, I think: He doesn’t get to do this.
And now the video from the other angle of two other officers pinning him down. My heart sinks even deeper.
His family and friends say he was a gentle giant. His death has now shown us he had a giant soul. If the largeness of a soul is determined by its sphere of influence, George Floyd is a Mighty soul.
GeorgeFloyd: We speak your name. But this time we will not let your name be just a hashtag. Your spirit is lifted by the cries of all of us who call for justice in your name!
Rihanna shared a photo of George Floyd on Instagram, with the caption:
For the last few days, the magnitude of devastation, anger, sadness I’ve felt has been overwhelming to say the least! Watching my people get murdered and lynched day after day pushed me to a heavy place in my heart! To the point of staying away from socials, just to avoid hearing the blood curdling agony in George Floyd’s voice again, begging over and over for his life!!!
The look of enticement, the pure joy and climax on the face of this bigot, murderer, thug, pig, bum, Derek Chauvin, haunts me!! I can’t shake this! I can’t get over an ambulance pulling up to an arrest, a paramedic checking a pulse without removing the very thing that’s hindering it! Is this that fucking normal??? If intentional MURDER is the fit consequence for “drugs” or “resisting arrest”….then what’s the fit consequence for MURDER???! #GeorgeFloyd #AhmaudArbery #BreonnaTaylor
Cardi B took to her various social media accounts to call for a boycott in retaliation to police brutality against George Floyd. She wrote:
Enough is enough! What will it take ? A civil war ? A new president? Violent riots ? It’s tired ! I’m tired ! The country is tired !You don’t put fear in people when you do this you just show how coward YOU ARE ! And how America is really not the land of the free !
Madonna posted a video of the horrifying moment Floyd was suffocated.
Watching this Cop suffocate George Floyd
with his knee on his neck, handcuffed and helpless, crying for his life with his face in the street is the most sickening, heartbreaking thing ive seen in a long time. This Officer knew he was being filmed and murdered him with arrogance and Pride.
This has to stop!! Until we can over come Racism in America— no one should be allowed to carry a gun. Most of all cops.
God Bless you George Floyd Im so sorry for you and your family. And all the senseless killings that have gone before you. Will it ever end? 🙏🏼 I pray to GOD it does one day.
Until then—Fuck The Police!
Yea I said it. Im not interested in being PC. Im interested in Justice.
@shaunking #georgefloyd #justice #guncontrol
Jamie Foxx joined community leaders and social justice activists in Minneapolis.
“We’re not afraid to stand. We’re not afraid of the moment,” Foxx said during a press conference at Minneapolis’ City Hall Friday. “To watch this man plead for his life as I sit with my two daughters, my nephews who had just come from the grocery store.”
He continued: “I’m not a celebrity, I’m from Terrell, Texas. These are my brothers. This means everything because at the end of the day when we see you guys out here on the front lines, we want to let you know you’ve got support.”
Jamie Foxx joins social justice advocates in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in solidarity over the death of George Floyd: “All I wanted to do is let you know that we’re not afraid to stand…we’re not afraid of the moment.” https://t.co/elUVBZ8dWy pic.twitter.com/StA6R7mH2u
— ABC News (@ABC) May 29, 2020
Nick Cannon was also protesting the death of Floyd in Minneapolis.He posted two photos of himself on Instagram in a hoodie reading “Please I can’t breathe,” in all caps. “Stop Killing Us! #Frontline,” he captioned the first photo, which shows a mask-wearing Cannon leaning against a stop sign in front armed police officers and military.
The second shows Cannon holding an image of Floyd. He accompanied the photo with the hashtag “#JusticeForFloyd.”
Mariah Carey
Reese Witherspoon
View this post on Instagram
Last night at dinner, my 7-year-old asked why all the grown ups were so upset. We spoke to him about what happened to George Floyd. Being a white mother trying to explain racism and bigotry to her white son, who did not understand why anyone would treat another human being that way, was heartbreaking. But not nearly as heartbreaking as being a victim of one of these senseless, violent, unconscionable crimes. Not nearly as heartbreaking as being one of the families who have experienced loss and harassment and discrimination daily. Not nearly as heartbreaking as being a mother who lives in fear of what will happen to her children in this world. I grew up going to church. We were taught that we were all the same in the eyes of God. We all breathe the same air. We all bleed the same blood. But that is not what I grew up seeing. It was as hard for me to reconcile the difference between what I was taught in church and what I see in the world. I don’t want that for my kids. Or for yours. We have to be held accountable for what is happening in this country. What happened to George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery – and countless others – can not go without justice. Please talk to your children about racism, privilege, bigotry and hate. If you aren’t talking to them, someone else is. Regarding comments: I urge you to share this space for meaningful discussion, not hate. There is enough hate in the world. I hope this can be a space for discussion, understanding, growth and LOVE. We all need more of that.
A post shared by Reese Witherspoon (@reesewitherspoon) on May 28, 2020 at 1:13pm PDT
Kylie Jenner
Naomi Campbell
Lady Gaga
My heart breaks for George Floyd, his family and for the people in Minneapolis. Murder is murder. Cops are also citizens, the same rules should apply to them. This is absolutely horrific and if the mayor and DA do not step up it sets a poor example for this entire country. pic.twitter.com/WA5VJGGhE2
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) May 28, 2020
Text excluding title courtesy Bellanaija
