Beyoncé speaks out about police brutality
Beyoncé has turned her website into a personal statement against police brutality in the wake of the recent deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, two black men killed at the hands of police officers over the past week. Bey’s statement urges fans to stand together and take action: ‘We are sick and tired of the killings of young men and women in our communities. It is up to us to take a stand and demand that they stop killing us. We don’t need sympathy. We need everyone to respect our lives.’
Bey continues, ‘This is a human fight. No matter your race, gender or sexual orientation. This is a fight for anyone who feels marginalized, who is struggling for freedom and human rights. This is not a plea to all police officers but toward any human being who fails to value life. The war on people of color and all minorities needs to be over.’
The recent killings have resulted in protests across the US, with other celebrities also taking to social media to express their outrage. Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry and Amy Schumer are among the many to show their support. Drake has also broken his previous silence on the matter with an instagram post stating, ‘It's impossible to ignore that the relationship between black and brown communities and law enforcement remains as strained as it was decades ago. No one begins their life as a hashtag. Yet the trend of being reduced to one continues.’
No stranger to voicing her support for the #BlackLivesMatter movement, the popstar's performance at the Super Bowl and recent album Lemonade album have both been criticised by some as anti-police. However, with a staggering 561 people in America killed by the police this year, and an overwhelming number of those being race-related, it seems Bey is only looking for justice.
As a key voice on such an important issue, we will be following Beyoncé and her fellow celebrities closely on the matter in the hope of bringing some much needed change.
Read her full statement here.
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