Keke Palmer Encourages National Guard to March Alongside Protesters in Powerful Exchange

Keke Palmer is inspiring people all over the country after convincing the National Guard to take a knee with protesters in Los Angeles on Tuesday. 

The actress was filmed having a candid conversation with several guardsmen while speaking out against police brutality and racial inequality in the wake of George Floyd's death. Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on May 25 in Minneapolis after a police officer held him down by the neck with his knee. 

In her passionate plea with the National Guard, Palmer spoke out against President Donald Trump's response to the tragedy. 

"These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won't let that happen," Trump wrote, in part, Thursday night, in response to the protests. "Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!"

"You have to pay attention to what's going on," Palmer declared on Tuesday. "We have a president that's trying to incite a race war, and the borders are closed. We can't leave. You have people in here that need your help. This is when you stand together with community, with society, to stop the governmental oppression. Period. We need you." 

"I agree," a guardsman told the star.

"So, march with us! March beside us. Get your people... let the revolution be televised. March beside us. Make history!" Palmer encouraged the men.

Another guardsman told Palmer he would march with demonstrators to the next intersection, but not further, as he was assigned to patrol the area. 

"Protect us. Do that march with us," Palmer begged. 

The guardsmen insisted they needed to remain in the area to protect businesses, but offered to take a knee in solidarity with protesters instead. See the full exchange below. 

"This is so powerful," one person commented on the video, as another said, "This gave me hope." 

Fans praised Palmer as "amazing." "She’s a powerful and persuasive speaker-she got them to want to march w/them!" a user noted. "That they couldn’t march with & protect the people because they had to stay back and protect businesses- that’s all we need to know about the priorities of the government." 

Stars have been doing what they can to speak out against police brutality and injustice since Floyd's death, with some donating to bail out protesters and others joining the protests themselves. Many celebs also participated in Blackout Tuesday on social media, in an effort to support the black community and amplify black voices. See more in the video below. 

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