Music stars are joining the chorus of shock and outrage after a Minneapolis police officer was caught on video holding a man down on the pavement with his knee on his neck.
George Floyd, 46, was heard repeatedly telling the officer “I can’t breathe.” He lost consciousness and was later pronounced dead.
Four officers on the scene were fired Tuesday and the FBI is investigating the circumstances leading up to Floyd’s death.
Madonna called the video “the most sickening, heartbreaking thing ive (sic) seen in a long time.”
In an Instagram post, the pop icon wrote: “This Officer knew he was being filmed and murdered him with arrogance and Pride. This has to stop!! Until we can over come (sic) Racism in America— no one should be allowed to carry a gun. Most of all cops.
“F**k The Police! Yea I said it. Im not interested in being PC. Im interested in Justice.”
On Instagram, Justin Bieber declared: “THIS MUST STOP. this makes me absolutely sick. This makes me angry this man DIED. This makes me sad. Racism is evil We need to use our voice! Please people. I’m sorry GEORGE FLOYD.”
RIP #georgefloyd this cop killed him by kneeling on his neck so he couldn't breathe. If u dont speak up on things like this ur part of the problem as ur letting it carry on. pic.twitter.com/PkfFLyocAw
— AC MC (@acthemc) May 27, 2020
Rapper-turned-actor Ice-T tweeted: “They Killed another Brother.. On Video. I play a Cop on TV… But I’ll NEVER stop speaking about injustice… EVER. F that.
Ice Cube tweeted: “How long will we go for Blue on Black Crime before we strike back???”
In an Instagram Story, Ariana Grande called for “#justiceforGeorgeFloyd” and wrote: “justice is not just about specific officers being arrested. It’s about dismantling the systems that make it possible.”
Meek Mill shared: “After all these videos of cops beating us like slaves we still don’t have no protection... nobody haven’t issued a order for the police to stop killing us! Is that not possible? Or they just saying protect yourself???”
The band Garbage also weighed in. “George Floyd was murdered by 4 cops in broad daylight in Minneapolis yesterday. He was unarmed,” read a message on Instagram.
“The cops involved in this senseless murder lost their jobs today. They must now be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The killing of unarmed black Americans by cops needs to stop. Please share. Please speak up. Please help put an end to police brutality against black and brown civilians. Minneapolis you’ve got to step up.”
Others sharing their thoughts on social media included Snoop Dogg and Common. Chance the Rapper tweeted "now is the perfect time for a revolution."
“So f****n sick of posting this s**t Maaaaan,” tweeted T.I. “But then if we don’t,it goes unnoticed. I’m ready when y’all is… IT WONT STOP UNTIL WE STOP IT!!”
Cardi B shared: “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 !”