MEMBERSHIP PERKS

GET AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE.

Members get unlimited access to all our most
valuable content long before the masses. Exclusive access to newly released gear and tech and entrepreneur secrets delivered to your inbox monthly. All free. No BS.

Celebrities and Public alike React to George Floyd Injustice with Anti-Racism Support
ADVERTISEMENT

Sailun Tires

In the midst of a global pandemic, another virus that has been around a lot longer than the Coronavirus has shown its ugly head. Police violence, abuse and brutality against Black people. On May 25th the world watched in horror as 4 Minneapolis police officers murdered George Floyd on the street as he was held down, handcuffed and with a knee of white officer Derek Chauvin, choking the life out of him for 8-minutes and 46-seconds. Floyd, a father of two, who allegedly passed a counterfeit bill in a nearby shop, could be heard begging and pleading to be allowed to breathe, “I can’t breathe,” and bystanders, who were thankfully filming the heinous act with their smartphones, joined in pleading that the officers not kill him. The officers carried on committing this heinous murder as if consequences were non existent.

The gut wrenching incident went viral on social media and caused an overwhelming public reaction, not only in America but globally. As a stark reminder of police violence and lack of accountability for that violence, as the officers were fired but not charged for Floyd’s murder. The outrage grew and communities across America and beyond took to the streets and social media to protest this injustice, which has now resulted in the arrest and charging of all four police officers.

The uproar and outcry was supported by many, including several celebrities (both of color and white allies) that used their Twitter and Instagram channels to speak out. Some in anger, some in grief and some in just pure solidarity against a systemic problem of injustice and the refusal to recognize that Black Lives Matter–and that justice should be equal for ALL.

On Twitter:

On Instagram:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Past few days I’ve been stunned trying make sense of George Floyd’s death. The video. The plea for breath. The callous response. The racism. The killing. This is our ongoing disease. I’ve had cops in my family. Good men. And there’s a cop code, granting you the authority to use force if your life is in danger. But when a man is handcuffed, on the ground, no longer a threat, with your brothers in arms standing around watching and he struggles to say, “please I can’t breathe” when your knee is on his neck.. not his back, but his neck – cutting off his air. Cop code must become moral code. Ethics code. HUMANITY code. Knowing that if you don’t ease up, then that man is going to die. So when you decide to not ease up, your intention is to kill. And that’s what this was. George Floyd, said “officer I can’t breathe” as he struggled for air. He said these words a total of 15 times. Not once. Not twice. 15 times. These officers will be charged, I’m positive of that. Held accountable. But then where’s the greater accountability? The leadership to healing. More importantly, the leadership to EQUALITY. We ultimately win when we can normalize equality. I’m so sorry to the Floyd family. My heart breaks for you. Let the process begin now. #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd #NormalizeEquality

A post shared by therock (@therock) on

 

View this post on Instagram

 

@naacp_ldf

A post shared by Ryan Reynolds (@vancityreynolds) on

 

View this post on Instagram

 

In difficult times when I’m unsure what to do, or how to lead my family … I reach for the words of my mentors who’ve helped guide me through life. One of those mentors is Nelson Mandela. He said “Racism must be opposed by all means that it has at its disposal”. No truer words have been spoken. The tragic death of George Floyd has prompted many conversations in my home and with friends around the world. Conversations that are, in large part, long past due. A friend from the Areyonga community in Australia emailed me over the weekend. He said, “The protests that are in the U.S. are on my lounge TV and all over the Red Center. We know how they feel”. This was such a timely reminder that what’s happening in the U.S. is happening all over the world, including my home country. I was taught, and try to teach my kids: the balance between the head and the heart, between emotion and reason is very difficult. My instinct is always that when emotion is high, I try to call on reason. And, when my brain is dominating, I try to open my heart. My emotions tell me that we need to take this tragic loss (and all those that came before) to change systemic racism the world over. My reason tells me that one size does not fit all. We need to listen and begin to try to understand. My heart goes out to George Floyd’s family. May his untimely death be a catalyst for change. I will use this moment to reflect, to refocus and to make sure I am part of change.

A post shared by Hugh Jackman (@thehughjackman) on

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Janet Jackson (@janetjackson) on

Resulting in over 1,808,593 posts on Instagram using the #GeorgeFloyd hashtag to date, over 18,473,257 posts using the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag to date, and over 28,791,671 using #BlackoutTuesday.

Some even took to TV shows to open up, express their pain, frustrations and more, like well known Canadian personality… Toronto’s very own, Tyrone Edwards (@mr1loveto), who took to Canada’s “the social,”  and here’s what he had to say:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Grateful that @thesocialctv allowed this segment to have the time it needed.

A post shared by Tyrone Rex Edwards (@mr1loveto) on

And on CTV:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Look within, challenge old ways of thinking: in your social circles & in your homes.

A post shared by Tyrone Rex Edwards (@mr1loveto) on

And a follow-up segment with ‘the social’:

Thousands have also turned to social media to share tips for protesters, ways to support black owned businesses, restaurants, and more. But also how you can donate and support without the need of funds too.

Subscribe

Get the latest Swagger Scoop right in your inbox.

By checking this box, you confirm that you have read and are agreeing to our terms of use regarding the storage of the data submitted through this form.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*
*