Cole Sprouse shared with his over 32 million Instagram followers that he was arrested in Santa Monica on May 31 during a peaceful protest after the brutal death of George Floyd on May 25. In the caption to his post, which featured a black and yellow “Black Lives Matter” banner, the Riverdale actor, 27, wrote, “A group of peaceful protesters, myself included, were arrested yesterday in Santa Monica. So before the voracious horde of media sensationalism decides to somehow turn it about me, there’s a clear need to speak about the circumstances: Black Lives Matter.”
The actor, who has been quarantining with co-star KJ Apa in Los Angeles, went on to reiterate, “peace, riots, looting, are an absolutely legitimate form of protest. The media is by nature only going to show the most sensational, which only proves a long standing racist agenda. I was detained when standing in solidarity, as were many of the final vanguard within Santa Monica,” he recounted.
“We were given the option to leave, and were informed that if we did not retreat, we would be arrested. When many did turn to leave, we found another line of police officers blocking our route, at which point, they started zip tying us.” Cole wanted his fans to know that “as a straight white man, and a public figure, the institutional consequences of my detainment are nothing in comparison to others within the movement.”
Indeed, Cole also urged his followers to “contemplate what it means to stand as an ally. I hope others in my position do as well.” Finally, Cole finished his statement by telling his followers that he will “speak no more on the subject.” Instead, the actor chose to later provide a link to “comprehensive document[s] for donations and support.” But before he shared resources to his followers, the actor reiterated to all of his fans that he is “not the subject of the movement,” and is “uninterested in drawing attention away from the leaders of the [Black Lives Matter] movement.”
Cole is one of a number of celebs, including Ariana Grande and Halsey, who have joined protests across the nation to support the Black Lives Matter movement and share their opposition to police brutality following the death of George Floyd on May 25. Along with Cole, stars like Justin Bieber, Beyonce, Millie Bobby Brown, and more have used their platforms to share their frustration, outrage, and resources for where fans can go to make a difference. HollywoodLife reached out to Cole’s rep and the Santa Monica Police Department for comment.