With many celebrities dispersed around the country and demonstrating in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, Riverdale actor Cole Sprouse revealed that he was arrested on May 31 while peacefully protesting in the streets of Santa Monica, California. On his social media pages, Sprouse recounted the series of escalating events that lead to his arrest, which he says occurred with a group of fellow protesters who were targeted and cornered by police officers. “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,†Sprouse wrote. “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.â€
Sprouse reiterated that he wasn’t sharing the details of his arrest to make a narrative about “a straight white man and a public figure,†but rather to prove that institutional consequences can happen to anyone, even if they participate in peaceful protests. “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,†he wrote. “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.†Sprouse also encouraged his followers to further educate themselves about the Black Lives Matter movement through links on his Instagram Stories.