Rihanna and Cara Delevingne lead stars observing Black Out Tuesday

‘This isn’t a moment, it’s a movement’: Rihanna, Bella Hadid and Cara Delevingne lead stars observing Blackout Tuesday… as they step away from social media for George Floyd

• It was announced on Monday, that the music industry would observe the blackout however it swiftly leaked across the board with social media users 
• The movement comes after the death of African-American George Floyd, 46, last week, who passed away after Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for several minutes before he died from asphyxiation 
• In tribute to the movement, stars shared an image of a plain black square while posting a series of captions about the heartbreaking climate
• Floyd’s death has sparked nationwide protests in the US and across the globe 

A host of stars honoured the Black Lives Matter movement by partaking in Black Out Tuesday, in which they removed themselves from social media for the day. 

Led by celebrities including Rihanna, Bella Hadid and Cara Delevingne, the day-long blackout – which was initially intended only for the music industry – swept Instagram, as stars marked the day with a black square posted on their grid.

The movement comes after the death of African-American George Floyd, 46, last week, who passed away after Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for several minutes before he died from asphyxiation.

Black out: A host of stars honoured the Black Lives Matter movement by partaking in Black Out Tuesday, in which they removed themselves from social media for the day

A medical examiner’s office on Monday ruled that Floyd’s death was a homicide as they appeared to walk back initial reports that he wasn’t strangled when a Minneapolis cop knelt on his neck during an arrest last week.

The medical examiner’s findings that the death was a homicide by asphyxiation confirmed the same conclusion of the independent autopsy that was also released on Monday, but there are key differences over the cause.

Chauvin, who is white and was fired from the Minneapolis police department over the incident, was hit with third-degree murder and manslaughter charges last week as protests over Floyd’s death roiled the nation. 

It was announced on Monday, that the music industry would observe the blackout however it swiftly leaked across the board with many social media users.    

Great loss: The movement comes after the death of African-American George Floyd, 46, last week, who passed away after Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for several minutes before he died from asphyxiation

Shocking: Leading the way was model, Bella who opted to share a black square in the shape of a heart, while adding a caption reading: ‘This is not a moment, it’s a movement. Screaming #BlackLivesMatter’

Leading the way was model, Bella who opted to share a black square in the shape of a heart, while adding a caption reading: ‘This is not a moment, it’s a movement. Screaming #BlackLivesMatter’. 

Rihanna threw her support behind the movement with her own black square. 

Dita Von Teese wrote: ‘Black Lives Matter. ⁣I am listening. I am deepening my understanding of my own white privilege, and learning about ways I can be a more active and better ally. I stand with you.’

Another message came from model, Cara Delevingne who wrote: ‘I understand that I will never understand but I stand #blackouttuesday’.

Gordon Ramsay wrote: ‘Taking this time to pause, listen, and stand strong with you #endracism #blackouttuesday’, while Mark Wright penned: I understand that I’ll never understand however, I stand…

Breaking out: Chauvin, who is white and was fired from the Minneapolis police department over the incident, was hit with third-degree murder and manslaughter charges last week as protests over Floyd’s death roiled the nation

‘We need to listen and learn and create permanent change. #blackouttuesday’.

His wife Michelle Keegan wrote: ‘No one should ever feel oppressed and be treated less than just because of their race, colour of their skin, religion or sexuality.

It’s our responsibility as HUMAN BEINGS to act to do/say something when discrimination and injustice takes place. This is not a trend this is a movement… LISTEN, LEARN, EVOLVE. Black lives matter’.

Further stars from UK and Ireland to pay tribute included Holly Willoughby, Myleene Klass, Laura Whitmore, Rochelle Humes, Stephen Fry and Kate Ferdinand. 

Jameela Jamil opted against the Black Out Tuesday tributes however as she vowed to provide information on activists rather than blacking out. 

Heartache: Three days before the blackout, Rihanna shared an impassioned tribute to the late Floyd and threw her support behind the cause

Paying tribute: Another message came from model, Cara Delevingne who wrote: ‘I understand that I will never understand but I stand #blackouttuesday’

Support: Bella was one of many celebrities to back the movement

She wrote: ‘Instead of blackout, only highlight black activists, educational content, donation information, and imagery that depicts the truth of the protests’.

She further detailed why she would not partake, as she added: ‘I’m personally not engaging in the blackout but at the very least let’s be careful of doing this…

‘It was supposed to just be for the music industry but has caught on at the worst time. We need information, education and donation…

‘Thank you to my friends for educating me about a better way to be helpful, by sharing the work and words of black activists and writers and by instructing my followers how to be of service to the movement for black lives. #blacklivesmatter’/

Chauvin was arrested and charged last Friday over the death of George Floyd

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