Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Rihanna, Meek Mill Sign Open Letter in Support of Police Reform

Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Rihanna, and Meek Mill are among the musicians who have signed an open letter supporting the Justice in Policing Act of 2020 in the U.S. House of Representatives. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is a comprehensive plan to hold law enforcement accountable for their actions by ending religious and racial profiling, banning chokeholds and no-knock warrants, requiring body cameras, investigating police misconduct, and changing the culture of law enforcement.

Other artists who have signed the letter include Grimes, Justin Bieber, A$AP Ferg, and Animal Collective. Read the full letter and see the complete list of signees here.

The letter, addressed to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, says that this “legislation will not only promote justice; it will establish a culture of responsibility, fairness, and respect deserving of the badge.” It also affirms that the act will make effective, positive change:

We celebrate the long-overdue rejection of qualified immunity,
emphasizing that law enforcement officers themselves are not above the
law—that bad cops must be held accountable and victims must have
recourse. We applaud the provisions to ban chokeholds and no-knock
warrants, to establish a national police misconduct registry, to
collect data and improve investigations into police misconduct, to
promote de-escalation practices, to establish comprehensive training
programs, and to update and enhance standards and practices.

Earlier this month, artists and other music industry professionals signed an open letter asking New York to repeal statute 50-A, which conceals police officers’ personnel and disciplinary records from the public. Additionally, artists like the Weeknd and Lizzo signed a letter created by activist Patrisse Cullors, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter and a founding member of the Movement 4 Black Lives (M4BL), to defund the police.

Read “Can Pop Stars Be Political Organizers?” on the Pitch.