John Boyega thanks fans for ‘love and support’ following his protest speech

Tom Horton, PA
Updated ·3-min read

John Boyega has thanked fans for the “love and support” they have shown him following his speech to Black Lives matters protesters.

The Star Wars actor made an emotional speech in London’s Hyde Park on Wednesday, telling the crowd he was speaking “from the heart”.

In an Instagram post on Sunday, Boyega said he is excited to see an “awakening” happening.

View this post on Instagram

I want to thank you all for the love and support you have shared over the last few days, although nothing I have done is for praise, or is truly even enough, in the grand scheme of things. This is an intense time for our community, and the most important thing is for us to maintain momentum and not lose sight of how critical it is to pursue long term solutions and commitments, for the sake of our generation, and the next. Our individual pursuits of success and belonging remain, but now more than ever, it’s important to use this movement as fuel to inspire new ways of thinking, building, and growing, together. I believe any great movement starts with a renewal of the mind. I know you’re all thinking, what’s next? Where do we go from here? Because I’m thinking the same shit! Conversations about black businesses, ownership and support are happening, and I will continue to have these conversations with the full intention of birthing ideas that are sustainable and tangible. Let’s increase our knowledge! I’m excited to see an awakening happening in all of us! I’ll continue to use my platform to fight against the injustices and inequalities in our community, no matter what. Nonetheless, one man can’t do it alone – I need you, and we need each other! We need everyone, across industry’s, soci-economic backgrounds, countries, to unite with a shared goal of REAL change. Before the pandemic hit, I visited a few schools in Southwark, to share my journey and to truly understand the minds and needs of our next generation. It was eye opening and inspiring to say the least, and I look forward to continuing this work, and contributing more, once it is safe to do so. I urge the black men of our community, my peers, to do the same. Connecting with our kids and motivating them towards a future that is stronger and brighter, is urgent, and necessary. In the meantime, let’s work on clearing the runway for them, so they can take off, and fly. Love everyone, and stay safe x

A post shared by John Boyega (@johnboyega) on Jun 7, 2020 at 3:17am PDT

He wrote: “I want to thank you all for the love and support you have shared over the last few days, although nothing I have done is for praise, or is truly even enough, in the grand scheme of things.

“This is an intense time for our community, and the most important thing is for us to maintain momentum and not lose sight of how critical it is to pursue long-term solutions and commitments, for the sake of our generation, and the next.”

He said that he is “excited to see an awakening happening in all of us”, adding: “I’ll continue to use my platform to fight against the injustices and inequalities in our community, no matter what.”

Graham Norton Show – London
(Isabel Infantes/PA)

In his speech to demonstrators earlier this week, Boyega urged them to remain peaceful.

He added: “It is very, very important that we keep control of this moment. That we make this as peaceful and as organised as possible.

“Because they want us to mess up, they want us to be disorganised, but not today.”

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