An “outraged” Lady Gaga took to social media on Saturday conveying a message of anger regarding the death of George Floyd while also calling U.S. President Donald Trump a “racist” and a “fool.”
The lengthy statement was issued as dozens of anti-police brutality protests took place in the U.S., triggered by the death of Floyd, a Black man who died after a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minn., pressed a knee on his neck.
Before taking aim at Trump, Gaga, 34, expressed her outrage over not only Floyd’s death but other Black lives “that have been taken” as a result of “systemic racism and the corrupt systems that support it.”
“We have known for a long time that President Trump has failed,” the Bad Romance singer wrote, criticizing the 73-year-old. “He holds the most powerful office in the world, yet offers nothing but ignorance and prejudice while Black lives continue to be taken.
“We have known he is a fool, and a racist, since he took office,” added Gaga. “He is fueling a system that is already rooted in racism, and racist activity, and we can all see what is happening.”
Despite the vast majority of protests against Floyd’s death remaining peaceful and civil over the weekend, some turned violent.
After hours of peaceful protest in downtown Atlanta, Ga., some demonstrators suddenly turned violent, smashing police cars, setting one on fire, spray-painting the iconic logo sign at CNN headquarters and breaking into a restaurant, according to the Associated Press (AP).
In Brooklyn, N.Y., officers sprayed an eye-irritating chemical at a group of demonstrators who were chanting and pushing against metal barricades outside of the Barclays Center twice, the AP reports.
Additionally, a New York woman was reportedly shoved so hard by a police officer that she fell head first onto a sidewalk and suffered a seizure and a concussion. Videos of the Friday night incident were viewed by Global News.
The protests across the U.S. have sparked concerns that such gatherings might contribute to the spread the novel coronavirus.
In her Instagram post, Gaga said she does “not wish to contribute to more violence” but, rather, a “solution.”
“The voices of the black community have been silenced for too long and that silence has proven deadly time and time again,” wrote the American Horror Story star.
“And no matter what they do to protest, they are still met with no compassion by the leaders that are meant to protect them,” she added. “Everyday people in America are racist, that’s a fact.”
Gaga proceeded with a call for “change,” asking other communities — regardless of race or creed — not to sit in silence and to actively support Black people across the U.S.
“Right now is a critical time for the black community to be supported by all other communities so we can put a stop to something that is intrinsically wrong by the grace of God or whatever creator you do or do not believe in,” she wrote.
“It’s time for a change.”
Gaga proceeded to acknowledge her own background and celebrity status before vowing to “stand by” a promise to show love to the Black community.
“We MUST show our love for the black community,” she wrote.
“As a white, privileged woman, I take an oath to stand by that. We haven’t, as a privileged community, done enough to fight racism and stand up for those people who are being killed by it.”
On the effect of Floyd’s death, the Stupid Love hit-maker concluded: “This isn’t justice. This is an epic tragedy that defines our country and has for a long time. I am sad. I am angry. And I will use the words that I can find to try to communicate what needs to change in as an effective and non-violent way as possible for me.”
Gaga’s statement came only a day after the release of her highly anticipated sixth studio album Chromatica. She’s not the only musician to have spoken out following Floyd’s death, either.
Black artists like Rihanna, Beyoncé, Snoop Dogg, Lil Nas X and Halsey took to social media airing their outrage and concerns, too, as well as white allies such as Adam Lambert and Demi Lovato.
— With files from the Associated Press