Keke Palmer urges National Guardsmen to join protesters in moving video

Keke Palmer addressed National Guardsmen while protesting in Hollywood, Los Angeles on Tuesday, urging them to join protesters and march with them.

In a powerful video that has been shared online, Ms Palmer faces the uniformed officials and implores, "You have to understand what's going on," before commenting on Donald Trump's leadership, "You have a president talking about the Second Amendment as a use for people to come out here and use firearms against the people that are protesting [...] We have a president who's trying to incite a race war."

She went on to say: "The borders are closed, we can't leave. We have people here that need your help. This is when y'all stand together with the community, with society, to stop the governmental oppression. Period. We need you, so march with us."

Surrounded by other protesters, the Akeelah and the Bee actress continued her impassioned speech: "March with us. March beside us. Get your people. March beside us. Let the revolution be televised. March beside us and show us that you're here for us. Let's just do it. We start marching and you march with us. Make history with us, please."

After some deliberation, the National Guardsman agreed to walk to the end of the street with Keke and her fellow protesters, before bending the knee.

In response, Keke said: "That ain't good enough for me."

In a second video, another National Guardsman responded: "I absolutely support you guys' right to protest. I absolutely support that, but we need to stay here because this is where all our supplies are."

The video, which was filmed by NBC correspondent Gadi Schwartz, has been viewed more than 14 million times and has been retweeted almost 100,000 times.

Nick Jonas shared the clip, along with the caption: "KEKE FOR PRESIDENT".

It comes after the death of George Floyd on Monday, May 25, an unarmed black man who died while in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota, after he allegedly forged a cheque. The police officer, Derek Chauvin, who was videoed kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck for several minutes, has since been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Since, a wave of protests have taken place not just in the US, but across the world. A peaceful demonstration is taking place in London's Hyde Park this afternoon at 1pm.

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