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Celebs lend their voices to anti-racist chorus

Lizzo, Rihanna, Harry Styles, Celine Dion and more are taking a stand against racism.
June 1, 2020 11:04 a.m. EST
June 3, 2020 1:56 p.m. EST
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Following the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and countless others who have recently been killed as a result of being Black in America, protests were held throughout the U.S., as well as Canada and beyond this past weekend. Protests took place involving thousands showing their support in major cities like Chicago, New York and Minneapolis, where Floyd was killed after Officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes. Chauvin has since been charged with third-degree murder, but the three officers also involved in Floyd’s arrest have yet to be charged. Now celebrities are using their platform to speak out against the racial injustice that has plagued Black people in the U.S., Canada and beyond for centuries.Many instances of police brutality were caught on tape and circulated online, with some leading to the dismissal of the officers. Tear gas and rubber bullets were fired at unarmed protesters, including members of the press who clearly identified themselves to police. CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez and his crew were arrested live on air in Minneapolis and freelance photographer Linda Tirado has likely lost her vision in her left eye after being shot with a rubber bullet. Protestors have been arrested in the hundreds throughout the US and many are injured as a result of inhumane tactics aimed as dispersing crowds.Social media has played a key role in this weekend’s events, starting with video of Floyd’s death being shared and continuing with protestors uploading pictures and images that may not have been shown on the media, including peaceful protests and looting. Many celebrities have also been engaging with fans on social media in order to show their support and make their anti-racism stance clear.Lizzo posted a four-minute video calling on her fellow celebrities to use their platforms to publicize their anti-racist stances. The Grammy-winner shared ways that white allies can help through donating to various Black Lives Matter supported charities and by educating themselves.
Rapper and activist Killer Mike spoke to Atlanta protesters on Saturday during the mayor’s press conference and pled for protesters to ‘plot, plan, strategize, organize, and mobilize.’ “I’m mad as hell. I woke up wanting to see the world burn yesterday, because I’m tired of seeing black men die. He casually put his knee on a human being’s neck for nine minutes as he died like a zebra in the clutch of a lion’s jaw,” said the Run The Jewels musician, who is the son of an Atlanta police officer. “So that’s why children are burning it to the ground. They don’t know what else to do. And it is the responsibility of us to make this better right now. We don’t want to see one officer charged, we want to see four officers prosecuted and sentenced. We don’t want to see targets burning, we want to see the system that sets up for systemic racism burnt to the ground.”
 
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Toronto Raptors’ president Masai Urjiri wrote an Op-Ed over the weekend for The Globe and Mail and spoke about the true role of police officers in modern day society. “No one can deny the police have a tough job. But they are peace officers. They are supposed to protect all of us. This is the profession they chose. I didn't see any peace or protection when that officer had his knee on Mr. Floyd's neck. I saw indifference.” Rihanna posted about the devastation she felt after watching yet another Black person die because of their race, writing “If intentional MURDER is the fit consequence for “drugs” or “resisting arrest”....then what’s the fit consequence for MURDER?”
 
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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

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An 18-minute video by comedian and Daily Show host Trevor Noah, who was born during apartheid in South Africa, has been widely circulating online. Pointing out that there’s “no right way to protest,” Noah said “It's never the right way to protest because that is what protest is. It cannot be right because you are protesting against the thing that is stopping you.”
After posting a Black Lives Matter message on her Instagram page, Grammy winner Billie Eilish followed up with a second post decrying those who continue to chant All Lives Matter. “I’m gonna explain this as if you were a child,” writes Eilish. “If someone’s house was on fire and someone is stuck in the house, are you gonna make the fire department go to every other house on the block first because all houses matter? No. Because they don’t f**king need it.”
 
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#justiceforgeorgefloyd #blacklivesmatter

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Harry Styles also shared a Black Lives Matter post on his Instagram and like Eilish, he spoke about the privilege that he experiences daily because of the colour of his skin. Announcing that he planned on donating to organizations that are helping to post bail for protesters, Styles wrote “Being not racist is not enough, we must be anti racist. Social change is enacted when a society mobilizes. I stand in solidarity with all of those protesting.”
Celine Dion echoed Styles’ sentiment, making it clear that it’s not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.
 
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Post Malone has returned to social media and apologized for not using his voice and his platform earlier. “I stand with George Floyd. I stand with everyone taking a stand” wrote the rapper, who signed the post under his real name, Austin.
 
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link in bio for ways you can help

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Chelsea Handler, who in 2019 released the documentary Hello Privilege. It’s Me, Chelsea, marched at the protests taking place in Los Angeles on Saturday. “We don’t have to remind ourselves why white lives matter, because if George Floyd were a white man or woman, and a cop kneeled on his neck until he died, that white officer and the 3 others would have all been arrested and charged,” wrote Handler on her Instagram.
 
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Saying that black lives matter doesn’t mean that we don’t think white lives matter. White people aren’t being shot at and gunned down the way black men have. We don’t have to remind ourselves why white lives matter, because if George Floyd were a white man or woman, and a cop kneeled on his neck until he died, that white officer and the 3 others would have all been arrested and charged. Yesterday at the protest in LA, my fanny pack and I looked around and thought, wouldn’t it be great if black people never had to march for anything again. Wouldn’t it be great if all men and women collectively said: “That’s enough. In solidarity, we will march for you, so you don’t have to anymore.” #BlackLivesMatter • Photo credit: @frankieshaw

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Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian, Anna Kendrick and several other celebrities have continued posting their support throughout the weekend.
 
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since watching the most devastating and completely heartbreaking video showing the murder of George Floyd earlier this week I haven’t been able to get his face and his words out of my mind. i’ll never personally experience the pain and fear that many black people around the country go through every day but i know nobody should have to live in fear and nobody deserves a death like George Floyd and too many others. speaking up is long overdue for the rest of us. we’re currently dealing with two horrific pandemics in our country, and we can’t sit back and ignore the fact that racism is one of them. i fear for my daughter and i hope for a better future for her. my heart breaks for George Floyd’s family and friends. Don’t let his name be forgotten. keep sharing, keep watching, keep speaking out, because it’s the only way we can come together to help bring this much needed change and awareness. Rest In Peace, George Floyd. ??

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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.

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[video_embed id='1966986']Tyrone Edwards shares why he can no longer remain silent about racism[/video_embed]

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