Cole Sprouse’s Instagram About Being Arrested While Protesting Addresses His Privilege

Cole Sprouse is speaking up for what’s right. On Sunday, May 31, Sprouse joined thousands of other people in Santa Monica, California to protest police brutality and racial injustice after the killing of George Floyd, and later detailed his firsthand experience. Cole Sprouse’s Instagram about being arrested while protesting addressed his privilege.

Sprouse got ahead of the media coverage on Monday, June 1, took advantage of the situation, and detailed the reasons he decided to protest on Sunday. He also hit on his privilege of being a white, straight man in his post, turning reader’s attention to what’s really important.

"A group of peaceful protesters, myself included, were arrested yesterday in Santa Monica," the Riverdale star wrote alongside a "Black Lives Matter" graphic on Instagram. "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. 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."

Sprouse noted that he "was detained when standing in solidarity, as were many of the final vanguard within Santa Monica. It needs to be stated 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," he explained. "This is ABSOLUTELY not a narrative about me, and I hope the media doesn’t make it such. This is, and will be, a time about standing ground near others as a situation escalates, providing educated support, demonstrating and doing the right thing. This is precisely the time to contemplate what it means to stand as an ally."

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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. 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. 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. It needs to be stated 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. This is ABSOLUTELY not a narrative about me, and I hope the media doesn’t make it such. This is, and will be, a time about standing ground near others as a situation escalates, providing educated support, demonstrating and doing the right thing. This is precisely the time to contemplate what it means to stand as an ally. I hope others in my position do as well. I noticed that there are cameras that roll within the police cruisers during the entirety of our detainment, hope it helps. I’ll speak no more on the subject, as I’m (1) not well versed enough to do so, (2) not the subject of the movement, and (3) uninterested in drawing attention away from the leaders of the #BLM movement. I will be, again, posting the link in my story to a comprehensive document for donations and support.

A post shared by Cole Sprouse (@colesprouse) on Jun 1, 2020 at 1:14pm PDT

After Sprouse shared his hopes that others in his position also exercise their right to speak out about the injustice, he explained that he will: "Speak no more on the subject, as I’m (1) not well versed enough to do so, (2) not the subject of the movement, and (3) uninterested in drawing attention away from the leaders of the #BLM movement."

Sprouse kept true to his word and shared nothing more than a list of ways his followers can help the Black Lives Matter movement.

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