Pop singer Halsey has given her first-hand account of the ongoing protests that have erupted across the U.S. over the past week. On Saturday, Halsey and ex-boyfriend Yungblud took to the streets in Los Angeles, later tweeting that the crowd she was a part of was “gassed and fired” upon by police.
In a series of tweets that followed, the “Be Kind” singer clarified that she hadn’t been arrested, but helped several fellow protesters “get to safety as many of them have VISAs.” Despite her insistence that the front line had “remained calm,” she said that the police nonetheless were “shot, gassed [and] antagonized.” She then posted links to bail fund organizations to help those that police had taken into custody. The singer has donated $100,000 to similar organizations in the wake of the protests, as well.
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fired rubber bullets at us. we did not breach the line. hands were up. unmoving. and they gassed and fired. pic.twitter.com/K8YauF0APn
— h (@halsey) May 31, 2020
Halsey later tweeted that she confirmed her safety due to “out-of-control” misinformation, but stressed she wouldn’t be “updating any more personal information.” She went on to write (in all caps) that she’d only be documenting the status of the assembly itself. “Thousands of you witnessed them fire on us unprovoked. Be safe.” She also called for anyone with medical training to show up if they were able, writing that she’d treated a number of injured protesters even though she wasn’t “qualified to.”
On Sunday, Yungblud tweeted out substantial praise his ex’s response and handling of herself during the protest, writing that she acted “fearlessly and selflessly.” “[You] were so brave and inspirational. When innocent people were unlawfully wounded, [you] were there with a medical kit bandaging them up. [You] didn’t think about yourself for one moment. I am proud to know [you].”
Protests first erupted on Thursday, just three days after police detained 46-year-old George Floyd for allegedly trying to spend a counterfeit $20 bill in Minneapolis, Minnesota. While being detained, one of four responding officers, Derek Chauvin, pushed his knee into the back of Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, killing him in the process. Chauvin was first arrested on Friday and charged with third-degree manslaughter and murder. However, on Wednesday, Chauvin’s charges have since been upgraded to second-degree murder, while the other three arresting officers were brought into custody as well.
