Marching for change. Cole Sprouse was joined by Kaia Gerber, Riverdale costar Madelaine Petsch, Eiza Gonzalez and Margaret Qualley on Sunday, June 7, marching in a protest in Los Angeles to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
In photos obtained by the Daily Mail, Sprouse, 27, tied a red bandana around his face in place of a mask as the women all wore masks to protect themselves and others from the coronavirus pandemic. Petsch, 25, held up a cardboard sign that read “Black Lives Matter.”
As shown in multiple videos on social media, Gonzalez, 30, sat above a light post and led a chant, asking protestors, “What do we want?” Demonstrators responded with, “Justice!” She then asked, “When do we want it?” and they responded, “Now!”
Sprouse has been vocal on social media and at protests ever since the May 25 murder of George Floyd at the hands of police. On June 1, the actor revealed via Instagram that he was arrested during a peaceful protest in Santa Monica.
“There’s a clear need to speak about the circumstances: Black Lives Matter. Peace, riots, looting, are an absolutely legitimate form of protest. I was detained when standing in solidarity, as were many of the final vanguard within Santa Monica,” the photographer wrote in a lengthy caption after the arrest. “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.”
He continued: “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.”
Many members of the Riverdale cast have been spotted protesting amid the movement. Lili Reinhart, who recently split from Sprouse eight months after getting back together, has also been extremely vocal, marching in the LGBTQ+ for Black Lives Matter protest on June 3. “Although I’ve never announced it publicly before, I am a proud bisexual woman,” the actress, 23, wrote via Instagram at the time. “And I will be joining this protest today. Come join.”
For more information, visit Blacklivesmatter.com.
