With people protesting George Floyd’s death across the United States, many have been vocal about looting and property damage that has followed some of the protests. Kevin Hart said that he doesn’t want any attention toward those activities to take away from the fact that people are tired of seeing Black people get killed by police.
The actor and comedian issued a series of tweets on Sunday, May 31 and said he wants justice for Floyd, who died May 25 during a police arrest. Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer who since has been fired, held his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes during that arrest.
“You can’t ask for peace if your not willing to give JUSTICE….people want JUSTICE,” tweeted Hart. “It’s that simple….Throw all of those cops in jail NOOOOOWWW. That’s taking action….Point blank!!!! This is what we want to see…..JUSTICE.”
In another tweet, he wrote, “Be apart of the conversation of change. We want and need change. The system is flawed and needs to be corrected. The police need to be policed….we need laws in place that will give us the safety that we as people deserve. Stop ignoring the PROBLEM.”
Chauvin and three other officers who were with him were fired one day after Floyd’s death.
Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder, a charge that on June 3 was upgraded to second-degree murder. He also faces a charge of second-degree manslaughter. Additionally, news of charges for the other former officers, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, and Tou Thao, came June 3.
The “Night School” actor also expressed that the United States is on the precipice of major social change that will be fueled by the protests and Black people being fed up with mistreatment.
“I see this narrative being changed and I want to make sure that we are all aware of the WHY….this is happening because of Hatred in our country,” wrote Hart. “This is Racism….People are sick & tired of being treated this way. We are tired of watching our own die this way.
“This is not about RIOTING & LOOTING,” he stressed. “Do not let that become the narrative…… This is about social injustice….THIS IS ABOUT THE UNFAIR TREATMENT THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH YEEEAAAARRRRSSS!!!!! THATS WHAT THIS IS ABOUT…”
Hart has also been sharing thoughts about Floyd on his Instagram page. The first message about him came last week, where he talked about white privilege and Amy Cooper, the woman who phoned the police on a Black man after he asked her to chain her dog in Manhattan’s Central Park.
“The term white privilege it’s real,” said Hart in the video. “If you don’t understand the definition. If you don’t understand the use of it. Then you’re f—–g blind. You’re blind and you’re choosing to ignore our now reality.”
