Widespread Protests are taking place across the country this week, with people coming out in groups post the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis by a white police officer.
Eminent celebrities such as Tessa Thompson, Ariana Grande, Timothée Chalamet, and more have come forward to protests in Los Angeles, New York, and other U.S. cities, in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and other organizations. In addition to them, public figures like Chrissy Teigen and Janelle Monáe have extended their assistance by making significant contributions to go toward bailing out those arrested for protesting.
Tessa Thompson
Through her social media handles, the Westworld star painted her experience at the Los Angeles Black Lives Matter protest on Saturday. She dropped a video of those in the streets kneeling and also shared that the event was peaceful until the LAPD “arrived and escalated it.”
Ariana Grande
Grande also attended the protest and retaliated against media coverage of the demonstration.
“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,” the pop star tweeted. “we were passionate, we were loud, we were loving. cover this too please. #BLACKLIVESMATTER
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
Fans cheered for Grande for using her fame to create awareness for important issues. “Ariana Grande is one of the biggest artists in the world,” one fan tweeted, along with a photo of the singer at the protest. “Not only did she use her platform to express her anger and pain towards what’s going on she also participated in the streets with the rest of the protesters.”
Ariana Grande is one of the biggest artists in the world. Not only did she use her platform to express her anger and pain towards what’s going on she also participated in the streets with the rest of the protesters ?????? pic.twitter.com/XWgayEgfTV
— anth (@anthspears) May 31, 2020
Nick Cannon
The Masked Singer host and rapper Nick Cannon shared a number of photos of himself protesting in Minneapolis. He donned a shirt reading “Please I can’t breathe,” which echoed Floyd’s words in the video of his arrest. “BUT THEY GON HEAR US LOUD AND CLEAR!!!” Cannon captured one post.
Kehlani
Singer Kehlani also could be seen attended a protest in Los Angeles and shared searing black-and-white photos and videos from the scene. “LIVE. NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE. LOS ANGELES MAY 30TH 2020. RESPECT EXISTENCE OR EXPECT RESISTANCE,” she captioned the post. “#BLACKLIVESMATTER OUTSIDE INSIDE TODAY YESTERDAY TOMORROW AND FOREVER. POWER TO THE PEOPLE.”
Halsey
Halsey also attended the L.A. protest, and said cops fired “rubber bullets at us.” In a heart wrenching video she shared on her Instagram Story, you can hear the bullets being fired. The singer encouraged followers to donate to bail funds for those who were taken into police custody.
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, 2020I WAS NOT ARRESTED.
Im safe. There were ppl I had to get to safety as many of them have VISAs. Myself + many of my peers were shot, gassed + antagonized. The frontline was calm + did not provoke
BUT MANY ARE NOT SAFE + MANY ARE IN CUSTODY
DONATE TO BAIL ORGS!!!
I AM CURRENTLY
— h (@halsey) May 31, 2020
Later, on Sunday, the indie pop artist attended the Santa Monica protest and thanked singer Yungblud, who was with her and “who literally ran exposed in front of rounds being shot to drag wounded people to safety without even thinking twice.”
And a big personal thank you to @yungblud who literally ran exposed in front of rounds being shot to drag wounded people to safety without even thinking twice.
— h (@halsey) June 1, 2020
Timothée Chalamet
The Little Women star was also at the Santa Monica protest. The actor brought with him a poster bearing the names of Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, and other victims of police brutality.
EXACTLY @RealChalamet pic.twitter.com/0y7sdZqwTy
— d ? (@sunflwrchalamet) May 31, 2020
Kendrick Sampson
Insecure star Kendrick Sampson narrated how he was hit by rubber bullets unleashed by police while protesting in LA on Saturday. The actor, who was with his How To Get Away With Murder costar Matt McGorry at the event, later said he had a gun pointed directly at him and got hit “7 times with rubber bullets and many with batons.”
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
John Cusack
John Cusack, who was at the Chicago protest on Saturday, said cops “came at me with batons” and hit his bike. The actor even captured audio of police barking orders at him.
Cops didn’t like me filming the burning car so they came at me with batons. Hitting my bike.
Ahhm herea the audio pic.twitter.com/tfaOoVCw5v
— John Cusack (@johncusack) May 31, 2020
Cole Sprouse
Riverdale actor Cole Sprouse said he was arrested while protesting in Santa Monica on Sunday. He posted about the experience on Monday, writing that he wouldn’t be talking about it anymore so as not to draw “attention away from the leaders of the #BLM movement.”