“Black people in America are not safe,” declared pop star Justin Timberlake in an Instagram rant on Sunday dedicated to Rayshard Brooks, the 27-year-old man killed by police on Saturday in Atlanta, Ga.
“As a dad, this photo hurts. #RayshardBrooks was a father of three girls…1, 2, and 8 years old. He should not be dead,” Timberlake’s lengthy message began. “Neither should #RiahMilton, #DominiqueFells, and #RobertFuller. This week, these four innocent people became victims of racism, violence, and intolerance. And we’re still waiting for Justice for #BreonnaTaylor. I’m heartbroken for their families and for this country.” ⠀ “The system needs to change… it has repeatedly shown us that Black people in America are not safe. I’ll follow up with more resources and ways to help. Continue to SAY THEIR NAMES. #BlackLivesMatter,” the Grammy-winner’s message said.
Brooks’ death has been ruled a homicide. Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields resigned after the shooting. The officer who killed Brook’s was fired.
Justin Timberlake previously aligned himself with protesters arrested by police in Minneapolis, MN, following the death of George Floyd. He urged people to donate to the Minneapolis Freedom Fund, a left-wing organization describing itself as supporting “transformative and restorative justice” which finances bail for ideological fellow travelers arrested during recent demonstrations, protests, and riots.
Please join me in supporting the Minneapolis protestors by donating to the @mnfreedomfund. The freedom fund is combatting the harms of incarceration by paying bail for low income individuals who cannot otherwise afford: https://t.co/tFr8Jh7TUX
— Justin Timberlake (@jtimberlake) May 30, 2020
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) subsequently slammed Timberlake’s call for funding bail of rioters. “Justin, how about giving your millions to a fund to help the African-American and Hispanic small businesses that are being burned & looted, rather than a fund to bail out the spoiled (often white) ANTIFA terrorists who are destroying minority communities?” Cruz said.