Emma Watson has come under fire after she was accused of prioritising her Instagram aesthetic over a post showing support for the movement Black Lives Matter.
Social media entered a 24-hour blackout on Tuesday as people made their voices heard in the fight for equality following the senseless death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25th.
The actress, 30, joined millions around the world by posting a black square, but sparked backlash by editing it to have a white border around it.
Backlash: Emma Watson has come under fire after she was accused of prioritising her Instagram aesthetic over a post for the movement Black Lives Matter (pictured last October)
Racial tensions and rioting have escalated across the United States since footage emerged of a handcuffed Floyd choking to death while being restrained by white police officer Derek Chauvin, who was filmed pinning the 46-year old to the ground by pressing a knee into the back of his neck.
Emma, who has 57.2million followers on Instagram, went viral on Twitter, with those accusing her of uploading three black squares with the same border just to match her feed.
Others were annoyed she didn’t use attach information to the posts of how people could either donate, educate themselves, sign petitions or how they can help.
One wrote: ‘Emma watson claims to be an activist but instead of posting links to petitions, donations and opening her purse she got 1 million likes on a pic of a black square with a white border around it to maintain her instagram aesthetic’
Fury: The actress, 30, joined millions around the world by posting a black square, but sparked backlash by editing it to have a white border around it
Co-ordinated: Emma, who has 57.2million followers, went viral on Twitter, with those accusing her of uploading three black squares with the same border just to match her feed
Influential voice: Aside from her Hollywood acting role, Emma has been a vocal spearhead for activism and her charity work (pictured at the UN women launch of HeForShe in 2016)
Another added: ‘I’m genuinely surprised Emma Watson has been silent. Weren’t you the intersectional feminist? The UN ambassador? I’m so disappointed.’
A third chimed: ‘Emma Watson really posted three other blank black pics so it wouldn’t ruin her aesthetic’, while a fourth typed: ‘Emma Watson not saying anything for the whole week and then posting a black blank pic on Instagram that won’t help in anything is just the peak of white feminism.’
‘Emma Watson has 57.1M followers on Instagram, her first post about blm has over 1M likes and instead of sharing links to petitions and donations, she thought the best idea was sharing three black squares? Wtf is that, open your purse, SPREAD INFORMATION’, another Twitter user vented.
Speak up! Her followers were annoyed she didn’t use attach information to the posts of how people could either donate, educate themselves or how they can help
However others defended the Harry Potter actress.
One fan wrote: ‘Are you guys serious?? Have you ever fact checked what your are saying about her??? She has stood up against racism many times but you’re just ignore that because you think it’s a better idea to follow suit of everyone else who probably ALSO didn’t fact check???.’
‘I clearly do not understand the younger generation. They are dragging #EmmaWatson or posting three black squares, but there are countless other celebs who have not done anything…Explanation? I’ll wait,’ typed another.
A different fan tweeted: Stop hating on Emma Watson for her latest posts on instagram like she has been an activist for all humans rights for the longest time now. GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT DUMBA***S AND LEAVE HER ALONE.’
MailOnline has contacted Emma’s representatives for comment.
Support: However others defended the Harry Potter actress, saying she has been an ‘activist for human rights for the longest time now’
Aside from her Hollywood acting role, Emma has been a vocal spearhead for activism and her charity work.
In July 2014, the Beauty and the Beast was appointed as a UN Women Goodwill ambassador.
In September that year, Watson delivered an address at UN Headquarters in New York City to launch the UN Women campaign HeForShe, which calls for men to advocate for gender equality.
Emma’s speech also called feminism ‘the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities’ and declared that the perception of ‘man-hating’ is something that ‘has to stop’.
Also in September, Emma made her first country visit as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador to Uruguay where she gave a speech highlighting the need for women’s political participation.
Activist: In July 2014, the Beauty and the Beast was appointed as a UN Women Goodwill ambassador
The day after Emma turned 25, the actress placed number 26 on the TIME 100 list of the world’s most influential people, her first-ever appearance on the list.
The Black Lives Matters movement comes after the death of African-American George Floyd last week at the age of 46, who passed away after Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for several minutes before he died from asphyxiation.
A medical examiner’s office on Monday ruled Floyd’s death was a homicide as they appeared to walk back initial reports that he wasn’t strangled when a Minneapolis cop knelt on his neck during an arrest last week.
The medical examiner’s findings that the death was a homicide by asphyxiation confirmed the same conclusion of the independent autopsy that was also released on Monday, but there are key differences over the cause.
Chauvin, who is white and was fired from the Minneapolis police department over the incident, was hit with third-degree murder and manslaughter charges last week as protests over Floyd’s death roiled the nation.
Sparking outrage: George Floyd died on May 25, after Officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes while he cried out that he couldn’t breathe – his death catalyzed a week of nationwide protests