Yahoo News Influencers criticised for posing for photos at Black Lives Matter protests: ‘Stop treating protests like Coachella’
Social media influencers have been criticised for posing for photographs at Black Lives Matter protests.
Several videos have gone viral on Twitter showing white influencers using the protests as an opportunity to produce content for their Instagram accounts.
In one video clip that has since gone viral on Twitter, garnering 4,900 likes and 1,700 retweets, a white influencer is seen posing for photographs in a polka dot dress as protesters walk behind her.
Another video shows a white woman posing on a Zebra crossing in a black floaty gown while holding a placard with ”Black Lives Matter” written across it as protesters pass her.
Both clips were shared by the Twitter account Influencers in the Wild, which encourages people to submit videos they’ve seen of influencers going to great lengths to take good photographs.
I knew this would happen eventually pt 2 pic.twitter.com/ZkcJyRpMgm
— influencersinthewild (@influencersitw)
Another video shows a woman standing in front of a looted T-Mobile shop in Los Angeles with smashed windows.
Stop treating the protests like Coachella pt 17 pic.twitter.com/zOzf4ZvvWf
— influencersinthewild (@influencersitw)
One clip shows an influencer standing on a street in Miami that had been barricaded by police in anticipation of the protests.
The police barricaded the street for the protest, and this girl took it as an opportunity to get a picture in the middle of an empty street? GTFOH pic.twitter.com/D9NlxROH0q
— influencersinthewild (@influencersitw)
“The police barricaded the street for the protest, and this girl took it as an opportunity to get a picture in the middle of an empty street?” the caption read.
I knew this would happen eventually pic.twitter.com/V3bB92iaPB
— influencersinthewild (@influencersitw)
The videos have shocked Twitter users, who have been quick to criticise the people in the videos as “shameful” and “oblivious”.
“Stop treating the protests like Coachella!” wrote one person in reference to the annual California music festival.
“Man, people really be out here selling their soul for clout, huh,” another added.
HOW do they not feel embarrassed. I hate taking pictures when I’m at freaking Niagara Falls cause I feel conceited and these people are taking it in front a protest !?
— Zainab (@Zxinab1)
Thousands of people have joined in demonstrations worldwide in the aftermath of the killing of 46-year-old George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis on Monday 25 May.
Protests, marches and vigils have been held in the US and internationally in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, with activists demanding justice in the wake of Mr Floyd’s death and calling for an end to police brutality against black people.
You can read more about how to support Black Lives Matter here.
Read more
Ways to support Black Lives Matter even if you can’t attend protests
