The profile of a nonprofit that helps bail out busted social activists caught the attention of high-wattage Twitter users who on Friday donated money to help bail out people imprisoned while protesting the death of George Floyd.
The chain linking Twitter users to the Minnesota Freedom Fund gained traction when it was retweeted by the Safdie brothers, two independent directors whose recent films include “Uncut Gems” starring Adam Sandler.
Seth Rogan, Patton Oswalt, Ben Schwartz and Steve Carell all added their “matched” donations.
“We are in awe of the support coming through right now,” the fund wrote on its website. “We are working with National Lawyers Guild and Legal Rights Center to help bails that are set.”
Lin-Manuel Miranda also tweeted out other organizations donors can contribute to, including the Minnesota ACLU, and a GoFundMe for victim George Floyd’s family.
In 2015, musical power couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z donated “tens of thousands of dollars” to bail out protesters arrested in Baltimore after the death of Freddie Gray, another black man who died while in police custody, Billboard reported at the time.
Riots and protests over Floyd's brutal death boiled over Thursday night. Similar disturbances broke out in New York City and other parts of the country.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump requested that the FBI and the Department of Justice investigate what the president called “the very sad and tragic death in Minnesota of George Floyd.”
“I have asked for this investigation to be expedited and greatly appreciate all of the work done by local law enforcement,” Trump said. “My heart goes out to George’s family and friends. Justice will be served!”
The president also tweeted Friday morning the National Guard had arrived in Minneapolis. Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz called in the National Guard on Thursday as looting reached the city of St. Paul.
Derek Chauvin, the police officer videotaped kneeling on Floyd’s neck in a shocking use of force, has been charged with murder and manslaughter.