Riverdale actor Cole Sprouse says he was arrested in Los Angeles on Sunday, while protesting the death of George Floyd. The actor has shared his experience on Instagram.
“A group of peaceful protesters, myself included, were arrested yesterday in Santa Monica,” Sprouse wrote. “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.”
Sprouse said he and other protesters were detained while standing in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. He said protesters were told they would be arrested if they did not exit the area, but when they tried 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,” Sprouse continued. “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 so 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.”
On his Instagram story, Sprouse has linked to a document full of resources to help people educate themselves on the Black Lives Matter movement.You can find the document here.
Sprouse is one of many celebrities who have marched in solidarity at protests and with protesters across America. This includes Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Ariana Grande, Timothée Chalamet, and Halsey.
George Floyd, a black man, died last week after white police officer Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. It is still unclear if the three other police officers involved in Floyd’s arrest will be charged. All four officers were fired last week.
