In the wake of the police shooting deaths of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Philando Castille in St. Paul, Minnesota, music superstar Beyonce has spoken out.
In a pointed post on her website, Beyonce called for justice for men and women of color in the face of police brutality.
"We don't need sympathy. We need everyone to respect our lives," she wrote. "We're going to stand up as a community and fight against anyone who believes that murder or any violent action by those who are sworn to protect us should constantly go unpunished.
"This is a fight for anyone who feels marginalized, who is struggling for freedom and human rights. This is not a plea to all police officers but toward any human being who fails to value life. The war on people of color and all minorities needs to be over. Fear is not an excuse. Hate will not win.
"While we pray for the families of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, we will also pray for an end to this plague of injustice in our communities," she said.
Beyonce closed the statement by providing links to contact congressional representatives and voice protest for Sterling and Castile so that fans and followers can "turn our anger into action."
The full statement can be read here.
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