- Kanye West joined Chicago youth organizers marching in Chicago’s South Side against the Child Protective Service’s contract with the Chicago Police Department.
- Some organizers have criticized the rapper’s appearance at the protest and subsequent media frenzy, as this detracts focus from the conversation of police brutality.
- Other people on social media have voiced confusion about West’s participation, citing his controversial statements about slavery being a choice for black Americans.
- Complex reported West also donated $2 million to the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. He also set up a college fund for Floyd’s daughter Gianna.
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Grammy award-winning rapper Kanye West marched alongside youth organizers Thursday afternoon in Chicago’s South Side against the Child Protective Service’s contract with the Chicago Police Department.
Organizers have criticized the rapper’s appearance at the protest and subsequent media frenzy, saying it detracts focus from the conversation on police brutality
“This is not about Kanye,” protestors chanted as press swarmed West.
Organizers are saying “this is not about Kanye” as press swarms him pic.twitter.com/rU1wgoPogY
— Grace Hauck (@grace_hauck) June 5, 2020
Taylore Norwood, a 20-year-old organizer for Good Kids Mad City - a nonprofit organization of black and brown young people fighting against gun violence - grabbed a megaphone to address the crowd after the rally began to devolve after West arrived.
"I would like to reiterate that this is a youth-led protest," she said. "This is not a celebrity welcome. You will not hijack this rally from the people who organized."
Taylore Norwood, 20, says that this Chicago march is a youth-led protest and that she doesn’t want a “celebrity” hijacking it. pic.twitter.com/uOTZapEc5x
— Grace Hauck (@grace_hauck) June 5, 2020
The protest, which was organized primarily by Chicago public school students, is among a torrent of civil rights demonstrations nationwide against anti-blackness and police brutality.
According to Grace Hauck of USA Today, West called organizers of Good Kids Mad City the day before to warn them that he would be attending the demonstration.
He reportedly stayed for 30 minutes before leaving the protest, according to USA Today reporter Grace Hauck.
Organizers marched to the Chicago Police Department to demand investment from the city in education rather than police forces.
Complex reported West also donated $2 million to the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. He also set up a college fund for Floyd's daughter Gianna.
This came as a surprise to some on social media, given the rapper's previous comments saying slavery was a "choice" for black people and his support of President Donald Trump, whose remarks calling African nations "sh--hole countries," his praising of fine people on "both sides" after white nationalists marched in Charlottesville, and his remarks encouraging police to be rough when making arrests, have drawn broad condemnation.
