Woman fires back at critics who accused her of treating BLM protest like Coachella
A Russian model and social media influencer who was denounced for participating in a photo shoot in front of a Black Lives Matter protest has fired back at her critics.
On June 5, the Twitter account influencersinthewild shared footage of Kris Schatzel, dressed in a black gown, stepping into an ongoing Los Angeles protest against police brutality and systemic racism toward the Black community while holding a sign that reads “Black Lives Matter.” The unidentified person who took the video can be heard saying, “Oh no, look at her. Nuh uh.”
“Stop treating the protests like Coachella pt 17,” influencersinthewild wrote.
Stop treating the protests like Coachella pt 17 pic.twitter.com/zOzf4ZvvWf
— influencersinthewild (@influencersitw) June 5, 2020
The clip received over 430,000 reactions and widespread condemnation from fellow Twitter users, who accused Schatzel of engaging in performative activism.
“One of the many things that 2020 has taught us is that influencers ain’t s*** and need to be cancelled,” one person wrote.
“Can we please cancel influencers?” another asked. “The money companies give to them for posts can be dispersed for the cause at hand.”
In response to the backlash, Schatzel deleted her Twitter account and made her Instagram account private — but not before saying a few words to her critics, according to the Daily Mirror.
“This is a huge misunderstanding!!!” the influencer allegedly wrote in her Instagram story. “Later I will explain everything [and] apologise! My [intention] was never to disrespect the movement but to add to the movement the way that I know how. Peace.”
In a follow-up post, Schatzel attempted to portray herself as a victim of bullying, Dazed notes.
“I truly believe this level [of] intolerance and hateful comments are detrimental to the movement and what we are all trying to achieve for [Black] and brown communities,” she allegedly wrote, in a screenshot obtained by the publication. “I hope we can all focus on the true cause as to why we are all here.”
Schatzel’s photographer Mila Voyna also seemed to take issue with the scolding the two have received, the Mirror adds.
“I don’t understand why people are so aggressive when you’re on their side, and if you’re supporting!” Voyna reportedly wrote on social media. “I believe that the union between humanity will never happen if we continue like this! Everyone reacts ugly before they understand what’s going on! Hopefully this changes! Love and peace!”
Schatzel is the latest in a string of white influencers who have seemingly tried to capitalize on the protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Floyd was killed on May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer pressed and held his knee against Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.
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