Influencer faces backlash for ‘tone-deaf’ photoshoot

Yet another influencer is under fire for exploiting the recent protests that have broken out in response to the recent killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, as well as the numerous Black people who have lost their lives to police brutality.

On June 8, a Reddit user posted a video to the r/Trashy subreddit of what appears to be an influencer having professional photos taken in front of a boarded-up Starbucks in Los Angeles. Behind her, several officers can be seen patrolling the area.

And these aren’t the only photographs the influencer took. In a few follow-up posts, the original poster shared more videos of the same woman posing in front of a mural of George Floyd, who died on May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.

In the comments, people expressed both disgust and disbelief over the influencer’s actions.

“Hella tone deaf,” one person said.

“She’s arrogant ignorant and vapid,” another user added.

“Influencers are trash,” a third person wrote. “They are a major source of toxicity and just terrible examples of humanity. I strongly encourage everyone to stop following them. They offer nothing and produce garbage.”

Sadly, this isn’t the first time an influencer has used the protests against systemic racism and police brutality to further their brand. On June 1, two videos went viral of white women posing in front of looted storefronts simply for the “clout.”

If you’re looking for a way to make a difference, check out our roundup of 20 Black-owned fashion brands to support today, tomorrow and always.

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