Celebrities like Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Chrissy Teigen, Colin Kaepernick, Harry Styles and more donated money to help bail out protesters who were arrested during the demonstrations demanding justice for George Floyd after his death.
The Minneapolis man, 46, died while being arrested on May 25 after he was accused of using a counterfeit $20 to purchase a pack of cigarettes from a Cup Foods grocery store.
Bystanders recorded the arrest on video, in which Floyd could be seen on the ground being arrested while officer Derek Chauvin, 44, knelt on Floyd’s neck. Floyd could be heard repeatedly saying, “Please, the knee in my neck, I can’t breathe.” Floyd died on camera after Chauvin kept his knee on his neck for a total of eight minutes and 46 seconds.
The footage of Floyd’s death went viral on social media and quickly sparked outrage and citizens and celebrities alike called for #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd. On May 26, the Minneapolis Police Department fired Chauvin and the three other arresting officers as the FBI launched an investigation. Chauvin was arrested three days later and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, which many feel is not enough.
In response to Chauvin’s charges, protesters took to the streets in cities across America in support of the #BlackLiveMatter movement while demanding justice be served.
Many celebrities also showed their support in person as they joined the protests. Pop star Halsey was seen protesting with her off-on boyfriend, rapper Yungblud, in West Hollywood. YouTuber Jake Paul was seen among crowds in Scottsdale, Arizona. Rapper J. Cole was photographed in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Singer Ariana Grande was also seen protesting in Los Angeles, during the same demonstration attended by VH1’s Love & Hip Hop star Ray J. MTV’s Wild ‘n Out host Nick Cannon joined protests in Minneapolis, where Floyd died, while wearing a black hooded sweatshirt featuring his last words.
Most demonstrations were met with police force, and there were reports of some precincts using tear gas and pepper spray to disperse crowds. Many were arrested and taken into custody. While most celebrities used their platforms on social media to raise awareness for the cause, others also donated money to charities that paid bail for those protesting across the country.
Scroll through the gallery below to see which celebrities donated bail money to #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd protesters.