Advertisement

Halsey Shares Firsthand Experience from George Floyd Protests: 'This Is Everyone's Problem’

Eric Todisco
·5 min read

Halsey is sharing her firsthand experience from the Los Angeles protests over the weekend.

On Monday, the "Colors" singer, 25, shared an Instagram post with slides of videos and photos from her experience protesting racial injustice and police brutality in response to the killing of George Floyd.

One of the slides included multiple photos of Halsey using medical supplies to treat other demonstrators who were seemingly injured during the protests.

She also shared a video that depicted police spraying tear gas at a crowd of marching protestors, which she was a part of.

"It’s become very clear to me that some of you need to see what I’ve seen," she wrote. "Please swipe through this. These pictures and videos don’t even scratch the surface. It’s easy from the comfort of your home to watch looting and rioting on television and condone the violent measures being taken by forces. But what you don’t see is innocent peaceful protestors being shot at and tear gassed and physically assaulted relentlessly."

Halsey/Instagram Halsey treating protestors

View this post on Instagram

It’s become very clear to me that some of you need to see what I’ve seen. Please swipe through this. These pictures and videos don’t even scratch the surface. It’s easy from the comfort of your home to watch looting and rioting on television and condone the violent measures being taken by forces. But what you don’t see is innocent peaceful protestors being shot at and tear gassed and physically assaulted relentlessly. You think it’s not happening, it’s only the “thugs” and the “riots”, right? The police are keeping you safe right? You’re wrong. This is happening everywhere. And innocent people exercising their rights to speech and assembly are facing violence and abuse of power. With all of our medical professionals being CONSUMED and EXHAUSTED with Covid, there is little to no medical attention available. I have first hand treated men women and children who have been shot in the chest, the face, the back. Some will lose vision some have lost fingers. I have been covered in innocent blood. My father is a black man. My mother is an EMT. This week I had to put those two associations together in ways that have horrified me. This is NOT a virtue signaling post. But I HAVE to show you what I am witnessing with my own eyes. With Trump’s decision today to enforce the mobilization of armed forces on our own citizens, this has escalated beyond your privilege and comfort to not care. Please care. We are begging you to care. This is war on Americans. This is everyone’s problem. Everyone’s. #BLACKLIVESMATTER

A post shared by halsey (@iamhalsey) on Jun 1, 2020 at 4:47pm PDT

RELATED: Halsey Says She Was 'Shot, Gassed and Antagonized' by Police During Weekend Protest

"You think it’s not happening, it’s only the 'thugs' and the 'riots' right?" Halsey added. "The police are keeping you safe right? You’re wrong. This is happening everywhere. And innocent people exercising their rights to speech and assembly are facing violence and abuse of power."

The singer said that with medical professionals "being consumed and exhausted" with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, "there is little to no medical attention available."

"I have first hand treated men women and children who have been shot in the chest, the face, the back," she said. "Some will lose vision, some have lost fingers. I have been covered in innocent blood. My father is a black man. My mother is an EMT. This week I had to put those two associations together in ways that have horrified me."

"This is NOT a virtue signaling post," Halsey noted. "But I HAVE to show you what I am witnessing with my own eyes. With Trump’s decision today to enforce the mobilization of armed forces on our own citizens, this has escalated beyond your privilege and comfort to not care. Please care. We are begging you to care. This is war on Americans. This is everyone’s problem. Everyone’s. #BLACKLIVESMATTER."

Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock Yungblud and Halsey

After attending a Black Lives Matter rally in West Hollywood over the weekend, Halsey claimed on Twitter Monday that she and fellow protestors, which included her ex-boyfriend, singer Yungblud, were fired at with rubber bullets by police.

"We did not breach the line. hands were up. unmoving. and they gassed and fired," she wrote on Twitter alongside four photos of police officers.

RELATED: Ariana Grande, Jamie Foxx, Halsey and More Celebs Who Joined in Protests Around the U.S. This Weekend

Later, Halsey clarified that she was "not arrested."

"I'm safe," she tweeted. "There were ppl I had to get to safety as many of them have VISAs. Myself + many of my peers were shot, gassed + antagonized. The frontline was calm + did not provoke."

"BUT MANY ARE NOT SAFE + MANY ARE IN CUSTODY," Halsey, who has already donated $100,000 to various organizations, wrote. "DONATE TO BAIL ORGS!!! I AM CURRENTLY."

To help combat systemic racism, consider learning from or donating to these organizations:

•Campaign Zero (joincampaignzero.org) which works to end police brutality in America through research-proven strategies.

•ColorofChange.org works to make government more responsive to racial disparities.

•National Cares Mentoring Movement (caresmentoring.org) provides social and academic support to help black youth succeed in college and beyond.