‘Be angered, but be focused’: Adele breaks her silence to condemn the killing of George Floyd in rare social media post as she insists ‘racism is alive and well everywhere’
Adele has broken her silence to condemn the killing of George Floyd, whose May 25th death in police custody has sparked protests around the world.
The 32-year-old singer took to Instagram on Monday, sharing a widely-circulated photograph of Floyd as she insisted that ‘racism is alive and well everywhere’.
On Friday, ex-police officer Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter after a video surfaced of him crushing 46-year-old Floyd’s neck with his knee in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Speaking out: Adele has broken her silence to condemn the killing of George Floyd, whose May 25th death in police custody as sparked protests around the world.
Throwing her support behind the Black Lives Matter movement, the Grammy-winning singer wrote: ‘George Floyd’s murder has sent shockwaves around the world, there are countless others that haven’t.
‘Protests and marches are happening all over the globe simultaneously and only gaining momentum. So be righteously angered but be focused! Keep listening, keep asking and keep learning!
‘It’s important we don’t get disheartened, hijacked or manipulated right now. This is about systematic racism, this is about police violence and it’s about inequality. And this isn’t only about America! Racism is alive and well everywhere.’
Killed: A private autopsy ordered by the family of George Floyd has found that he was killed by asphyxia due to ‘neck and back compression that led to a lack of blood flow to the brain’
The mother-of-one concluded: ‘I wholeheartedly stand in solidarity with the fight for freedom, liberation and justice ♥️ #blacklivesmatter #georgefloyd #saytheirnames.’
Adele’s impassioned post marked a rare return to the image-sharing platform; she last uploaded a snap on her birthday in May, showing her dramatic 7st weight loss.
Back in October, Adele had already visibly lost a great deal of weight as seen in pictures of her attending her friend Drake’s birthday party.
She posted an Instagram snap of herself at the fete and quipped in the caption: ‘I used to cry but now I sweat’.
In January she went on holiday to the Caribbean island of Anguilla with Harry Styles and James Corden, and met a 19-year-old fan called Lexi Larson who dished to People about their weight loss conversation.
Protests: Floyd’s killing while in police custody has led to protests across the globe. Demonstrators are pictured in New York City’s Times Square on Monday
Taking a stand: The 32-year-old singer took to Instagram on Monday, sharing a widely-circulated photograph of Floyd as she insisted that ‘racism is alive and well everywhere’
‘She said she lost something like 100 pounds, and that it’s such a crazy positive experience. She seemed so happy, and she looked amazing. She seemed really confident,’ Lexi shared with the magazine.
The pop superstar’s big reveal came after she split from her husband Simon Konecki last April and filed for divorce in September.
Adele and Simon share a seven-year-old son called Angelo and a People insider revealed her weight loss came partly from a desire to be healthier for her child.
‘She got to the point where she didn’t feel great. She knew she had to change something, because she wants to be the healthiest mom possible,’ said the source.
Adele became a body positivity icon for her larger figure when she first rose to global stardom, proudly declaring on 60 Minutes in 2012: ‘I don’t wanna be some skinny mini with my t**s out. I really don’t wanna do it.’
Changes: The pop superstar split from her husband Simon Konecki in April 2019, filing for divorce in September; they are pictured in 2013