Cardi B, Diddy, Ciara outraged by George Floyd’s shocking death: 'This is what being black in America means'
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: Cardi B, Diddy, Ciara and Demi Lovato have been among the first few celebrities to express their outrage over the death of George Floyd. A white police officer was seen kneeling over the neck of Floyd for over eight minutes even after Floyd repeatedly said that he was unable to breathe. Many celebrities took to various social media platforms to express their disgust and outrage at the incident.
The four police officers involved in the case were fired even as FBI and state officials launched an investigation into the 46-year-old's death after a video of the incident went viral. Singer Ciara shared, "My heart can't take it, seeing what’s happened to #GeorgeFloyd."
"This is eerily similar to the death of #EricGarner. There has to be a stopping point in the process of arresting someone. It’s all senseless," she added. The incident has been compared to the 2014 death of Eric Garner who died after being choked by the police. Rapper Cardi B took to social media to share, "Enough is enough! What will it take? A civil war? A new president? Violent riots? It’s tired! I’m tired! The country is tired! You don’t put fear in people when you do this you just show how coward YOU ARE! And how America is really not the land of the free!"
Diddy took to social media to post a praying hands emoji in reaction to what Floyd's family say is "murder". Viola Davis wrote on her Instagram handle, "This is what it means to be Black in America. Tried. Convicted. Killed for being Black." "We are dictated by hundreds of years of policies that have restricted our very existence and still have to continue to face modern-day lynchings. Here's the thing......America will never be great until we can figure out a way for it to work for EVERYBODY!!!" Davis shared.
Demi Lovato also echoed the sentiments and said, "I'm tired of typing Rest in Peace... I wish black men could live in peace." Filmmaker Ava DuVernay shared, "You deserved your breath, your dignity, your life."
"Not to die in the street, murdered by a white cop's knee on your neck. You deserve our tears, our prayers, our rage, our action. We must act — for you — and for all of those were no cameras are present. We must. #GeorgeFloyd," she wrote.
We previously reported that the family lawyer has called for the cop in question, Derek Chauvin, to be charged with murder and the other three officers involved to be charged as murder accomplices. Two of Floyd's cousins said the cops "murdered our cousin" and that firing those involved was just a "start", according to a Daily Mail report.
The lawyer shared that Chauvin had knelt on Floyd's neck for a sickening eight minutes. "Please," the man can be heard pleading. "Please, please I can't breathe." The shocking video clip was taken on Monday, May 25. Floyd eventually lost consciousness as the officer refused to move and continued to drive his knee into Floyd's neck. Floyd later lost his life after officers arrested him for allegedly trying to use forged documents at a local deli. The four disgraced police officers were from the Minneapolis Police Department.