Natalie Portman supports ‘defund the police’ campaign amid US protests

Amid the protests occurring in the US, following the death of George Floyd, a video surfaced which showcased police offers kneeling onto Floyd’s neck up till the point he passed away.

Following this revelation a campaign was brought forward which aimed to ‘defund the police’. When Natalie first heard of the campaign she admitted she was fearful. "When I first heard #defundthepolice, I have to admit my first reaction was fear."

In an Instagram post the actress claimed, "My whole life, police have made me feel safe. But that’s exactly the center of my white privilege: the police make me as a white woman feel safe, while my black friends, family and neighbors feel the opposite: police make them feel terror. And for good reason.”

Now however, her thoughts have shifted in favour of the campaign. “I am grateful to the leaders in the @mvmnt4blklives who have made us question the status quo.”

Before concluding she claimed, "These are not isolated incidents. They are patterns and part of the system of the over-policing of black Americans. Reforms have not worked. Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, is one of the most progressive police forces in the country, having undergone extensive anti-bias training.”