Beyoncé Responds To Alton Sterling & Philando Castile Shootings: “Stop Killing Us”
Beyoncé has issued a statement in response to the recent killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, both of whom were murdered by police officers over the past two days. (Drake, Chance The Rapper, and her sister Solange, among many other high-profile celebrities, have also publicly commented on the shootings.) “We are sick and tired of the killings of young men and women in our communities,” Beyoncé’s open letter begins. “It is up to us to take a stand and demand that they ‘stop killing us.'” Read her statement in full below.
WE ARE SICK AND TIRED OF THE KILLINGS OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
IT IS UP TO US TO TAKE A STAND AND DEMAND THAT THEY “STOP KILLING US.”
WE DON’T NEED SYMPATHY. WE NEED EVERYONE TO RESPECT OUR LIVES.
WE’RE GOING TO STAND UP AS A COMMUNITY AND FIGHT AGAINST ANYONE WHO BELIEVES THAT MURDER OR ANY VIOLENT ACTION BY THOSE WHO ARE SWORN TO PROTECT US SHOULD CONSISTENTLY GO UNPUNISHED.
THESE ROBBERIES OF LIVES MAKE US FEEL HELPLESS AND HOPELESS BUT WE HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE NEXT GENERATION, FOR THE NEXT YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO BELIEVE IN GOOD.
THIS IS A HUMAN FIGHT. NO MATTER YOUR RACE, GENDER, OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION. THIS IS A FIGHT FOR ANYONE WHO FEELS MARGINALIZED, WHO IS STRUGGLING FOR FREEDOM OR HUMAN RIGHTS.
THIS IS NOT A PLEA TO ALL POLICE OFFICERS BUT TOWARD ANY HUMAN BEING WHO FAILS TO VALUE LIFE. THE WAR ON PEOPLE OF COLOR AND ALL MINORITIES NEEDS TO BE OVER.
FEAR IS NOT AN EXCUSE. HATE WILL NOT WIN.
WE ALL HAVE THE POWER TO CHANNEL OUR ANGER AND FRUSTRATION INTO ACTION. WE MUST USE OUR VOICE TO CONTACT THE POLITICIANS AND LEGISLATORS IN OUR DISTRICTS AND DEMAND SOCIAL AND JUDICIAL CHANGES.
WHILE WE PRAY FOR THE FAMILIES OF ALTON STERLING AND PHILANDO CASTILE, WE WILL ALSO PRAY FOR AN END TO THIS PLAGUE OF INJUSTICE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
CLICK IN TO CONTACT THE POLITICIANS AND LEGISLATORS IN YOUR AREA. YOUR VOICE WILL BE HEARD.
-BEYONCÉ
She adds in a note below the statement:
We all have the power to channel our anger and frustration into action. We must use our voices to contact the politicians and legislators in our districts and demand social and judicial changes.
To contact your Congressman or woman click here.
To voice protest for Alton Sterling, click here.
To voice protest for Philando Castile, click here.
UPDATE: Beyoncé paused her show in Glasgow tonight to hold a moment of silence while displaying names of the victims of police brutality on a screen behind her:
