George Floyd death: Chrissy Teigen, Seth Rogen, Harry Styles donate to bail funds for arrested protestors

Hollywood personalities including model Chrissy Teigen, director duo Safdie Brothers, actor-writer Seth Rogen, director Ava DuVernay have pledged to donate bail and legal defense funds for over 1,400 people who have been arrested while protesting the death of George Floyd. Floyd, a black man, died last Monday in Minneapolis, Minnesota after a white police officer pressed his knee on his neck for more than eight minutes. The officer was arrested on Friday and charged with third-degree murder. Protests turned violent over Floyd’’s death and other police killings of black people spread Saturday in dozens of US cities, with police cars set ablaze, reports of injuries mounting on all sides, shops and showrooms vandalised amid the coronavirus lockdown. Teigen said she is committing USD 100,000 to various direct funds for activists arrested protesting Floyd’s death to match with the planned right-wing counterprotests.

When a user said she would be supporting “rioters and criminals”, she upped the donation saying, “Ooo they might need more money then. Make it $200,000.” DuVernay posted links to resources for various Black Lives Matter and legal defense groups, including one started by former NFL quarterback and racial justice activist Colin Kaepernick. Stand-up comic Rae Sanni said bail funds are a great start as lots of people are going to need it. “It’’s okay to admit you don’t have the range to discuss this stuff. I don’t. It’s why I’m just donating where I can. And I guess now would be a good time to recognize that just bc someone raps good doesn’t mean they think good all the time,” she tweeted. Pop singer Halsey donated USD 50,000 to NAACP Legal Defense Fund for the long-term racial equality fight. She also took to share her experience at the protest in Los Angeles, where the police fired rubber bullets at the crowd and she sustained a bruise. She live-streamed the events as well. Here is her tweet

I have been trying to figure out how to help more directly so I have complied a list of organizations. I’ve donated to a few, and you can too. #BlackLivesMatter

— halsey 🌸 (@halsey) May 28, 2020

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Ben Platt, Steve Carell, Abbi Jacobson and Ben Schwartz were among those who pledged donations to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, a group that finances cash bail for arrested protesters in Minneapolis. Variety reports that musicians like Harry Styles, Kali Uchis, Kehlani, Janelle Monae, and Lil Nas X also made donations in solidarity. (With inputs from Press Trust of India)