Cher has apologised for a social media post in which she suggested she could have prevented the death of George Floyd.
Floyd died while being apprehended by police in Minneapolis last May. One of the arresting officers, Derek Chauvin, is currently on trial for second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, having placed a knee on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes.
Last Friday (2 April), Cher wrote on Twitter: “Was talking with Mom & She Said ‘I Watched Trial Of Policeman Who Killed George Floyd, & Cried.’
“I Said ‘Mom, I Know This Is Gonna Sound CRAZY, But.. I Kept Thinking …..Maybe If I’d Been There,…I Could’ve Helped.”
The tweet has since been deleted. Before its removal, the post caused controversy among some Twitter users, who argued that the tweet was insensitive, and played into a “white saviour complex”.
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In a series of posts shared over the weekend, the singer addressed her comments, writing: “Wrestled With This Twt, Because I Thought some ppl wouldn’t understand, Or Believe an Entertainer Could have Honest emotions about a human Being, suffering & Dying, even if It’s Only Shown On tv.
“You Don’t Know What I’ve Done,Who I Am,Or What I Believe. I CAN, I HAVE, & I WILL..HELP.”
In another tweet, she apologised for causing offence.
“I Just got off phone With Friend Karen,” she said. “Told her what Happened,& Realized, You Can Piss Ppl Off, & Hurt Them By Not Knowing Everything That’s ‘NOT Appropriate’ To Say.
“I know Ppl Apologize When They’re In a Jam, BUT TO GOD, IM TRULY SORRY If I Upset AnyOne In Blk Community. I Know My [heart].”
You can follow updates on Chauvin’s trial here.
