Harry Styles has been pictured attending a Black Lives Matter peaceful protest in Los Angeles.
The Adore You singer spoke out on the movement this week and pledged donations to post bail for jailed protestors following the death of George Floyd – a 46-year-old black man who died when a white police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest.
And while he did not share anything on his own social media about the march, a number of Harry’s friends praised him for joining them at the LA protest.
Punk’d star Al Shearer posted a video of Harry – wearing a hoodie and a bandana wrapped around his mouth – kneeling on the ground during the peaceful protest.
Shearer wrote on his story: ‘Black AND white makes it alright! STRONGER TOGETHER my brother from another mother @harrystyles changing the game!’
The 42-year-old then said: ‘Not even from this country, but puts his life on the line, his career on the line to back us up. Black lives matter.
‘My man’s a real one.’
Al’s wife Niresha shared a picture of her husband and Harry, 26, kneeling on the ground with their fists raised in a salute, and wrote: ‘My brother @harrystyles showed the f*** up!’
She also filmed Harry marching with a cardboard sign reading ‘Black Lives Matter’, while friend Amy Marietta shared a picture of Harry, Al and Niresha posing with their signs and called them the ‘peaceful protest squad’.
One fan, named Angela, spoke about seeing the former One Direction star at the march and explained his presence from a black fan’s perspective, noting that she had previously been frustrated about him not noticing Black Lives Matter flags at concerts with predominantly white crowds.
She tweeted: ‘we shouldn’t praise white people for doing the bare minimum and for simply: not being racist. but to see people like ariana and halsey be out here and to f***ing have the universe shine its light UPON ME TO BE NEXT TO ONE OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE ?
‘i feel f***ing VALIDATED!!!! i feel like he’s learning and doing his part to do better. i watched this man chant with us and kneel with us and most of you do not know how much it f***ing means to be black and see this from the person you’ve been supporting for years!!!!! +
‘so stop talkin ya s*** and attend a protest near u! and i did get the chance to briefly thank him for being there. and no i wasn’t f***ing following him or being f***in wack i was at a PROTEST. A PROTEST THAT DIRECTLY AFFECTS ME AND IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME.’
On 30 May, Harry posted a Black Lives Matter image to Twitter and wrote: ‘I do things every day without fear, because I am privileged, and I am privileged every day because I am white.
‘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.
‘I’m donating to help post bail for arrested organizers. Look inwards, educate yourself and others.
‘LISTEN, READ, SHARE, DONATE and VOTE. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. BLACK LIVES MATTER.’
The star also linked to a Justice For George Floyd petition.
All of the One Direction lads have showed their solidarity for Black Lives Matter over the past few days, in different ways.
Liam Payne was pictured attending the Black Lives Matter protest in London, while Zayn Malik said he was ‘deeply saddened by every act of discrimination’ and shared the links to numerous petitions and ways to help in his Twitter bio.
Louis Tomlinson has made a number of private donations to charities and wrote: ‘Enough is enough. I want to let the black community know that I stand with you, and with anyone protesting in support of racial equality.’
And Niall Horan has been tweeting criticism of Donald Trump and support for those peacefully protesting, with one tweet aimed at POTUS reading: ‘THUGS ?? these people are protesting against the fact that one of YOUR animalistic white policemen kneeled on George’s windpipe and forced him to stop breathing and killed him?? THUGS???? Are you listening to yourself?’
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