#BlackLivesMatter

Following the tragic death of African-American George Floyd, who was choked to death by a White police officer named Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has intensified and sparked protests and looting. It has also dominated various social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

After George Floyd’s death on May 25, hundreds of people stood outside the Minneapolis’ police departments protesting against police brutality and discrimination against Black people. Protestors also demanded the arrest of Chauvin. His sentence of third degree murder and manslaughter was announced on Friday, May 29. Some protestors carried signs and threw rocks which incited the police to respond with rubber bullets and tear gas.

However, this was only the start. Currently, there are protests occurring all over the U.S., some of which have turned into riots with protestors and police officers alike acting violently. On Sunday, two police officers were fired in Atlanta for using excessive force on two Black college students by using stun guns and dragging them out of a car. The same day, demonstrators in New York marched across the Brooklyn Bridge and disrupted traffic. In Union Square, protestors started fires in trash cans that reached two stories high and threw bottles and other objects at police officers. At least 21 states have activated the National Guard, which is part of the U.S. army’s reserve forces, as the situation grew more and more violent.

Several celebrities have shown support for the BLM movement by using their platforms to spread awareness and information regarding petitions and injustices against Black people. Some of these celebrities include Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Jay-Z, Ellen Degeneres, and Timothée Chalamet. Several were seen marching and engaging in peaceful protests.

Many people are coming up with creative methods to support the BLM matter movement. Zoe Amira, a makeup artist and YouTuber, has created an hour long video of art made by Black people full of ad-rolls. Amira says that 100% of the video’s revenue will be donated to support the BLM movement. Celebrities have also posted links to petitions and organizations on their social media posts.

If you want to help support the BLM movement please go take one step further than simply reading this article and research all the injustices Black people endure.