British actor John Boyega, who has been quite vocal on Twitter about the murder of black men at the hands of cops in the USA, following the murder of George Floyd, protested in London yesterday.
In a passionate speech, that moved many to tears, Boyega said:
Black lives have always mattered. We have always been important. We have always meant something. We have always succeeded regardless. And now is the time. I ain’t waiting.
Fighting back his own tears, he went on to add:
Look, I don’t know if I’m going to have a career after this, but fuck that. Today is about innocent people who were halfway through their process. We don’t know what George Floyd could have achieved, we don’t know what Sandra Bland could have achieved, but today we’re going to make sure that won’t be an alien thought to our young ones.
The Star Wars actor’s passionate speech drew strong reactions and support from commoners and Hollywood alike.
I would work with John Boyega anytime, and I’d consider myself lucky to do so. https://t.co/l3eRnpsXUv
— Mike Flanagan (@flanaganfilm) June 4, 2020
I would work with John Boyega and I urge other Non-Black creators to affirm that they have his back as well. https://t.co/SqXgmIS5aR
— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) June 3, 2020
MARVEL CAST JOHN BOYEGA QS CYCLOPS CHALLENGE pic.twitter.com/l6lcGjWBUE
— X-Men Daily! (@Xmentogether) June 4, 2020
the jedi we deserved #BlackLivesMatter #JohnBoyega pic.twitter.com/cF8P0khbm3
— deek says BLM ✊🏾🏳️🌈 (@mynamedeek) June 4, 2020
I love @JohnBoyega 🙏💚 #blacklivesmatter pic.twitter.com/4PxrArMfI4
— BossLogic (@Bosslogic) June 4, 2020
“Look I don’t know if I’m going to have a career after this but, f**k that.”
— SARP🕴 (@Justin12393LEE) June 4, 2020
John Boyega speech in London is all levels steroids bruh! The fire in his belly is what everyone in influential position need to do for the movement. #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/dboz3xtu2y
We got you, John. https://t.co/oX7Rr52omx
— Jordan Peele (@JordanPeele) June 3, 2020
Terrific actor exercising his human right to protest injustice. I’d work with him for sure. https://t.co/BDIMIN9x9v
— Craig Mazin (@clmazin) June 3, 2020
You can watch the speech here:
Boyega is one of the many black cebrities to have taken to the street following the murder of George Floyd. Floyd was killed by a white policeman Derek Chauvin who knelt on his neck even as he struggled to breathe. Following his death, the United States has been engulfed in protests.