Breonna Taylor Case Gets Support From Beyoncé
While most of the Black Lives Matter protests were ignited by the killing of George Floyd, the movement is now bringing to light other unjustified killings of African-Americans, such as that of Breonna Taylor. Taylor’s case has been getting a lot of attention, with Beyoncé the latest famous name to advocate for her.
Billboard reports that the multiple Grammy winner has sent a letter to the Attorney General of Kentucky, Daniel Cameron, asking him to turn his attention towards the case, which has been unresolved three months since it happened.
In her letter, Beyoncé emphasized how little has been done over the past three months, saying that the police officers arrested have not been fired and no one has been arrested for Taylor’s death. She also said that the lack of justice has not given Breonna Taylor’s family the opportunity to grieve since they have become busy rallying support.
Time also points out that the songstress names the three police officers involved in Taylor’s death -- Officers Brett Hankinson and Myles Cosgrove and Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly. All three remain employed by the Louisville Metro Police Department and Beyoncé notes not one of them has been held accountable.
The singer also noted that inaction on the part of the police department would only further the pattern of abuse African-Americans have suffered under them. According to Beyoncé, holding the police officers accountable would end that pattern.
Beyoncé letter to Cameron is only the latest action she has done in support of the Breonna Taylor case. Earlier this month, she posted on her Instagram account about the case, with a link to a petition included.
Beyoncé now joins the growing number of celebrities that have been holding police departments around the United States accountable for the abuses performed on African-Americans and other people of color. A few weeks ago, John Boyega delivered an impassioned speech at a Black Lives Matter protest in London.
Meanwhile, iconic director Spike Lee noted the diversity of the ongoing protests, pointing out that he had only seen a similar diverse crowd during the civil rights movement in the 1960s.
Halsey was also very visible during the early George Floyd protests, even recounting her experience patching up activists and protestors who were wounded by the rubber bullets that Los Angeles police officers fired into the crowd.
Other celebrities that have joined the protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd include Timothee Chalamet, Ariana Grande, Tinashe, Cole Sprouse, Tessa Thompson, Emily Ratajkowski, Kehlani, Miguel, Paris Jackson, and Machine Gun Kelly.