John Cusack says police officers came at him with a baton as he filmed a protest in Chicago on Saturday.
The 53-year-old actor took to Twitter to share photos and video of the protest, which occurred in the wake of George Floyd's tragic death. The 46-year-old Minneapolis man died on Monday after a police officer held him down by the neck with his knee for more than seven minutes. Protests have since erupted in many cities across the United States.
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"Cops didn’t like me filming the burning car so they came at me with batons. Hitting my bike," Cusack captioned a video of officers approaching him. "Ahhm here’s the audio."
"Move! Get out of here! Get your bike out of here now!" the police scream in the video.
"Alright, I'm going," Cusack can be heard saying as he moves away. The officers continue to yell and hit his bicycle.
Cops didn’t like me filming the burning car so they came at me with batons. Hitting my bike.
— John Cusack (@johncusack) May 31, 2020
Ahhm here’s the audio pic.twitter.com/tfaOoVCw5v”
"It’s bad in Chicago - brother," Cusack replied to Alex Winter, who encouraged him to be careful. "People are enraged - now anarchy and looting widespread- I guess America is getting great again real fast."
It’s bad in Chicago - brother - people are enraged - now anarchy and looting widespread-
— John Cusack (@johncusack) May 31, 2020
I guess America is getting great again real fast
"These were some of the peace officers - who gently tuned up my bike with their batons," he wrote alongside another video of cops at the protest.
These were some of the peace officers - who gently tuned up my bike with their batons- pic.twitter.com/atMf8VaV6l
— John Cusack (@johncusack) May 31, 2020
According to Cusack, "Many of police I talked to last night - understood rage of the protestors & did their best to deescalate during day & into night." "But After perimeter was set around trump tower & bridges raised -it got so fearful and violent - the dynamic changed rapidly into chaos," he added.
Many of police I talked to last night - understood rage of the protestors & did their best to deescalate during day & into night -
— John Cusack (@johncusack) May 31, 2020
But After perimeter was set around trump tower & bridges raised -it got so fearful and violent - the dynamic changed rapidly into chaos -
Four officers were fired on Tuesday for their roles in Floyd's death, and Derek Chauvin -- who was videotaped holding Floyd down by the neck with his knee -- was taken into custody by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on Friday, Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington stated, per CBS News. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
At a protest in Los Angeles on Saturday, actor Kendrick Sampson was also hit by a baton and rubber bullets fired by police officers.
"My non-profit initiative BLD PWR and I, in collaboration with Black Lives Matter LA, organized a peaceful demonstration, protesting the brutal killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Kenneth Ross, Jr. and 600+ others killed by police in LA County. [The protest] had two demands 1) Defund Police and 2) Prosecute Killer Cops," Sampson said in a statement to ET on Sunday. "I am safe this morning, but the liberation continues tomorrow and beyond. Defund Police."
See more how celebs are using their platforms to speak out about the injustice in the video below.
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