Ellen Pompeo took to Instagram to share an observation she made following a Black Lives Matter protest in Los Angeles.
The 50-year-old actress said she has attended the Women’s March, as well as climate change marches in L.A. She then noted that “there were no National Guard with guns, with machine guns, there were no police with machine guns” at these rallies.
“I’ve been to other protests,” she said. “I’ve never seen police with machine guns. I’ve never seen the National Guard with machine guns. We’re at a march for black lives, and we’re here to talk about the fact that they matter. And there’s machine guns—big ones—and aggression.”
While the Grey’s Anatomy star said “the cops weren’t so aggressive,” she said “their stance was aggressive.”
“They’re on rooftops, they’re in cars, they’re in tanks,” Pompeo continued. “And I haven’t ever seen that show of force and that show—not that it’s as forceful as a lot that we’ve seen, but, I mean, we’re in the middle of the day here. And, at other protests, I’ve never seen that amount of ammunition. So, I’m just wondering why that is: Why at the Women’s March there’s no machine guns. Why at Pride marches there’s no machine guns. But the Black Lives Matter march, machine guns everywhere. I don’t know. You tell me.”
Near the end of the video, she said she hoped her followers had a good day. “I certainly did letting people know that they matter,” she said. “Love you all.”
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Pompeo attended the Los Angeles protest with T.R. Knight. Citizens have been calling for justice at rallies around the world following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police. Ariana Grande, John Boyega, Halsey, Big Sean, Jamie Foxx, Timothée Chalamet, Michael B. Jordan, Cole Sprouse, Jonah Hill, Henry Golding, Kristen Stewart, Emily Ratajkowski, Darren Criss and more stars have attended protests, as well.
“E! stands in solidarity with the black community against systemic racism and oppression experienced every day in America,” the network said in a statement on May 31. “We owe it to our black staff, talent, production partners and viewers to demand change and accountability. To be silent is to be complicit. #BlackLivesMatter.”
