Yesterday, Digital Music News was first to report that Justin Timberlake was among the many artists and entertainment industry professionals who had donated to the Minneapolis Freedom Fund, which is paying protesters’ bail costs. Now, the 39-year-old is facing a serious backlash for doing so.
Two days back, Justin Timberlake ignited the controversy by tweeting: “Please join me in supporting the Minneapolis protestors by donating to the @mnfreedomfund. The freedom fund is combatting the harms of incarceration by paying bail for low income individuals who cannot otherwise afford: https://minnesotafreedomfund.org.”
Though a portion of fan, celebrity, and media responses to the message were positive — Timberlake thanked one Lindsey Yok for posting a screencap of her donation, and she subsequently indicated that some Twitter users pushed back against her making a contribution — a large number of the staggering 48,500 or so follow-up messages appear to be negative. The blowback spanned a huge range of right-leaning opinions, peppered with ample graphic footage and images.
For reference, in all of April and May, Timberlake’s second most popular message elicited just 944 or so responses.
In terms of the Minneapolis Freedom Fund post, one individual asked Justin Timberlake: “Why not raise money for the business owners who had their dreams destroyed?”
A frustrated pro-Trump Twitter user wrote: “Here in Charleston, they have beat up store owners only trying to protect their livelihood! They also set a furniture store on fire, and firefighters had to go in and risk their lives to put it out! Years ago here, nine firefighters died trying to put out a furniture store fire!”
More concisely, a different fan yet said: “I have lost all respect for Justin Timberlake!!!” Additionally, quite a few of the responses included graphic footage showing innocent bystanders, shopkeepers, and residents being assaulted by violent elements of the protests.
Justin Timberlake has largely remained silent on Twitter, apart from the aforementioned responses to those who donated and a retweeted message from NBA star Lebron James.
In the music industry, the Big Three record labels (and their affiliates) have rallied around “Black Out Tuesday” as a means of protesting violence against African Americans. This morning, we reported that Universal Music Group CEO Lucian Grainge had formed a social justice task force.
A preliminary report from The Associated Press revealed that police arrested approximately 4,400 protesters across major American cities this weekend. However, it bears mentioning that some of the hardest-hit locations reported relatively few arrests. For instance, only 155 arrests have been made in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where protests initially appeared, per AP.
Death to Justin Timberlake!
If he bailing out nonviolent protesters in Minnesota then that’s fine, but if he bailing out people that are Loading, and destroying private property and businesses, then he’s just as guilty as those committing the crimes, and should be punished along with them!!
auto-correct is a bitch, isn’t it?
He is so brave and noble. Literally.
More like ignorant and cruel.
Do your thang Justin. Don’t worry about losing a few fans,you still have millions/ billions.Me and my fiance LOVE you soon much and proud of you and Thank you❤️❤️❤️
Soon meant Soooo?❤️
I only goes to show you , the protesters are not for justice, just to get free stuff, what a bunch of low end thieves l.j
How about the thieves from the beginning of civilization, stealing lives, stealing land from the Indians, enslaving human beings, etc.
Exactly, great point made!! African Americans are fed up and tired of the decimation of the African American race!! Protesters refuse to continue to not be heard and they are sick and digusted with the senseless murdering of African American people period!! They are angry and will do whatever it takes to be heard….I applaud celebrities for taking a stance and agreeing that this is not right, and CHANGE MUST COME!!! I LOVE YOU JT, AMONG MANY OF THE OTHER ARTISTS!!! #unitedwestand #dividedwefall #standupforhumanrightsanddignity
And that means beating up and killing innocent people that had nothing to do with slavery or are racist. You are literally making those ppl racist with this violence. None of that makes sense to me. Why not go and riot against the ppl that actually have the ability to make a change like the ppl in power. Not innocent Fucking people who are also trying to make their lives work. These are middle class ppl paying for all the social services that lower and upper class ppl don’t have to pay for. None of these ppl are corporate owners, idiots. You’re going to end up with no social services and burnt down cities that the rich don’t have to fucking pay for.
Justin Tinkerbell – a “celebrity” (whatever that is) who uses his notoriety to spout nonsense, which is repeated by “journalists” who have nothing to do other than repeat tripe coming from JT and TS (a fading ‘darling’) looking for relevance). These “celebs” should be given bananas and told to sit down.
Don’t like that 1st Amendment much, do you?
We handful of Native Americans back in the day….TRIED to stand up against discrimination and to keep the government from lying then stealing our land and killing our people, but even numbered we gave it one helluva shot.