Cole Sprouse Arrested During Protests & Uses Platform To Fight For Black Lives Matter
2 June 2020, 11:35
Cole Sprouse recounts being arrested whilst protesting in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and made a heartfelt Instagram post about his experience and telling people 'peace, riots and looting are absolutely legitimate form of protest.'
Cole Sprouse has been arrested during the Black Lives Matter protests and the Riverdale star has used his enormous platform to bring attention to what protestors are facing, acknowledging his privileged position as a 'straight white man, and a public figure'.
Taking to Instagram to recount his experience, he wrote:
"A group of peaceful protesters, myself included, were arrested yesterday in Santa Monica. So before the voracious horde of media sensationalism decides to somehow turn it about me, there’s a clear need to speak about the circumstances: Black Lives Matter."
"Peace, riots, looting, are an absolutely legitimate form of protest. the media is by nature only going to show the most sensational, which only proves a long standing racist agenda. I was detained when standing in solidarity, as were many of the final vanguard within Santa Monica. We were given the option to leave, and were informed that if we did not retreat, we would be arrested."
"When many did turn to leave, we found another line of police officers blocking our route, at which point, they started zip tying us. It needs to be stated that as a straight white man, and a public figure, the institutional consequences of my detainment are nothing in comparison to others within the movement."
"This is ABSOLUTELY not a narrative about me, and I hope the media doesn’t make it such. This is, and will be, a time about standing ground near others as a situation escalates, providing educated support, demonstrating and doing the right thing.
"This is precisely the time to contemplate what it means to stand as an ally. I hope others in my position do as well. I noticed that there are cameras that roll within the police cruisers during the entirety of our detainment, hope it helps."
"I’ll speak no more on the subject, as I’m (1) not well versed enough to do so, (2) not the subject of the movement, and (3) uninterested in drawing attention away from the leaders of the #BLM movement. I will be, again, posting the link in my story to a comprehensive document for donations and support."
Celebrities including Halsey, Ariana Grande, Yungblud and Madison Beer have also taken to the streets to march and protest for Black Lives Matter and justice for George Floyd and many other murdered Black Americans.
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