Hollywood Backs ‘Breathe Act’ Aimed At Defunding Police

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images/Michael Buckner/Getty Images
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images/Michael Buckner/Getty Images
David Ng

Hollywood celebrities are enthusiastically showing their support for the “Breathe Act,” the new legislation introduced Tuesday by the Movement 4 Black Lives that seeks to defund police departments around the country and to redirect taxpayer dollars to community safety initiatives.

Stars including Connie Britton, Anna Paquin, Lena Waithe, and Piper Perabo are backing the measure, along with Selma filmmaker Ava DuVernay and House of Cards creator Beau Willimon. Mega pop star John Legend put his celebrity power behind the measure Tuesday by performing during an online launch event for the legislation.

The Breathe Act is the creation of the Movement 4 Black Lives, the far-left coalition that includes Black Lives Matter and Color for Change. “The current moment requires a solution that fundamentally changes how we spend money as a society,” the group said. “We are offering this visionary bill, which would divest from policing and invest in a new vision of public safety.”

Movement 4 Black Lives is framing the bill as a modern-day civil rights act. Among its provisions is the stripping of public funding from police departments and other law enforcement institutions, like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Those dollars would instead go toward social welfare, health care, education, and environmental initiatives.

“Squad” members Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) also showed their support for the bill on Tuesday by participating in the virtual launch event.

Actress-comedian Amy Schumer endorsed the bill, saying “As a supporter of the #BREATHEAct, I’m advocating for the change I want to see.” 

Nashville star Connie Britton encouraged her fans to join the movement backing the Breathe Act.

Oscar-winner Anna Paquin called the Breathe Act a “modern-day civil rights” bill intended to defend black lives. “We simply cannot wait to take action,” the actress tweeted.

Actress Piper Perabo said she is supporting the bill because it will mean defunding the police and divesting from “white supremacy.”

Selma director Ava DuVernay encouraged her Twitter followers to learn more about the Breathe Act.

“This bill divests taxpayer dollars from discriminatory policing and invests in a new vision of public safety, one that answers calls to defund police and grows the ability for communities to breathe free,” she tweeted.

Actress-writer Lena Waithe, of Showtime’s The Chi, evoked the names of Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Elijah McClain and others in a tweet promoting the Breathe Act.

House of Cards creator Beau Willimon called for a revamping of the country’s legal system. “We need to replace old systems with more humane ones,” he tweeted.

Black Lives Matter co-founder and Hollywood actress-writer Patrisse Cullors tweeted that she is a “proud supporter” of the new bill.

Actresses Constance Zimmer and Tatyana Ali also showed their support for the bill.

Follow David Ng on Twitter @HeyItsDavidNg. Have a tip? Contact me at dng@breitbart.com

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