White influencers need to stop making the BLM protests about their Instagrams

This isn’t your opportunity to get content

1 year ago

One thing you can always count on in life is white influencers turning any situation into a chance to rack up the Instagram likes. And turns out some influencers see the Black Lives Matter protests as the perfect opportunity to get some Insta clout.

Tone-deaf doesn’t seem like a strong enough word for the videos and pictures of influencers posing by the protests. Whilst all 50 American states and 18 countries protest to seek justice for George Floyd, the influencers have been seen pretending to fix shops, pose in front of burning cars and deliberately getting arrested. The white privilege is deafening.

Twitter account Influencers In The Wild and others have been sharing videos of these influencers using the protests as an opportunity to seem “woke” when we all know they’re just after those discount codes.

Take a look at some of the dumbest tone deaf moments from influencers during the protests so far:

I knew this would happen eventually pic.twitter.com/V3bB92iaPB

— influencersinthewild (@influencersitw) June 1, 2020

Yoga pants? Starring at a smashed up T-Mobile store? Must be an influencer.

Deadass fuck all these internet bitches forreal. pic.twitter.com/TYGncVS8P2

— leyahli (@goodgalbadrep) May 31, 2020

Ladies, this is not Coachella. Stop your performative bullshit and donate.

So we’re making protests into a bad boy aesthetic…. pic.twitter.com/9B6Xx97dvr

— friendly BLACK hottie ⁷ BLM (@NEGROSEOUL) June 2, 2020

Smiling and strutting whilst getting led away by the police after getting arrested. Screams of white privilege.

I knew this would happen eventually pt 2 pic.twitter.com/ZkcJyRpMgm

— influencersinthewild (@influencersitw) June 2, 2020

This is not an “insta moment”.

*Ralph Wiggum voice*
I’m helping pic.twitter.com/5WsFz60NBe

— influencersinthewild (@influencersitw) June 2, 2020

I actually have no words for this.

I never ever thought I’d have to say this sentence – but can dumbass rich white influencers stop exploiting the purpose & situation just to have photoshoots at the damn riots? Yes. PHOTO. SHOOTS. pic.twitter.com/vXZ9Q2bjs7

— destinee crystal-brown (@omgitzdestineex) June 3, 2020

Why am I not surprised?

The police barricaded the street for the protest, and this girl took it as an opportunity to get a picture in the middle of an empty street? GTFOH pic.twitter.com/D9NlxROH0q

— influencersinthewild (@influencersitw) June 2, 2020

What is honestly going on with influencers????

This is neither the time nor the place pic.twitter.com/EMyXcx3oUB

— influencersinthewild (@influencersitw) June 2, 2020

This is not what the protests are about.

How to donate and support the Black Lives Matter movement:

Reclaim The Block – is an organisation focused on moving money from the police department in Minneapolis into other areas of the city’s budget that truly promote community health and safety – donate here.

Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust – works with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds aged 13 to 30 to inspire and enable them to succeed in the career of their choice – donate here.

To sign the justice for Belly Mujinga petition sign here.

To sign the justice for Breonna Taylor petition sign here.

Featured image credit: Max Bender on Unsplash