Cole Sprouse Arrested During Peaceful Black Lives Matter Protest
Cole Sprouse says he was arrested at a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest in California.
The Riverdale star was protesting on Broadway in Santa Monica on Sunday (May 31) when a group of protesters, including Sprouse, were arrested.
"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 27-year-old actor shared an Instagram post on Monday (June 1), before detailing his experience.
"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."
"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," Sprouse continued. "This is ABSOLUTELY not a narrative about me, and I hope the media doesn’t make it such."
Sprouse added that "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," emphasizing the important of allyship
He concluded by reiterating that he wants the focus to be on the Black Lives Matter leaders and movement. He also included links to resources on how people can get involved.
See Sprouse's full post, below.