K-pop fans drown out #WhiteLivesMatter hashtag

NME Music News, Reviews, Videos, Galleries, Tickets and Blogs | NME.COM

K-pop fans have gathered in their droves online to drown out a surge of #WhiteLivesMatter posts.

Twitter has today (June 3) listed #WhiteLivesMatter as a trending hashtag. In a bid to overpower the hashtag, K-pop music fans have used the same phrase but attached nonsensical or anti-racist messages.

• Read more: K-Pop powerhouses Blackpink are the antidote to everyman pop stars – and they’re gonna conquer all

Variety reports that the campaign has been broadened to include hashtags including #MAGA and #BlueLivesMatter.

Me when I saw Me when I#whitelivesmatter realized it was
was trending. KPOP fancams pic.twitter.com/oejyxJp1KX

— Izzy (@Morgg16) June 3, 2020

Thank you kpop stans for your service #WhiteLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/uvXk35vS3O

— HBIC (@beefbagel) June 3, 2020

The news comes a day after #BlackoutTuesday, a music industry initiative that encouraged organisations to refrain from publishing content and instead take the day to learn about how they can best use their platforms to educate themselves and others on anti-racism. It’s connected to the ongoing George Floyd protests and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Some who were observing #BlackoutTuesday were criticised for using the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag by unintentionally drowning out that campaign’s messaging regarding protests, bailout information and similar issues.

“We know that’s it no intent to harm but to be frank, this essentially does harm the message,” activist Kenidra Woods posted on Twitter. “We use hashtag to keep ppl updated. PLS stop using the hashtag for black images!!”

It has come to my attention that many allies are using #BlackLivesMatter hashtag w black image on insta. We know that’s it no intent to harm but to be frank, this essentially does harm the message. We use hashtag to keep ppl updated. PLS stop using the hashtag for black images!! pic.twitter.com/eG2fPaybNW

— Kenidra4Humanity ~ BLACK LIVES MATTER ~ (@KenidraRWoods_) June 2, 2020

Additionally, yesterday K-pop fans also swamped an app developed by the Dallas Police Department in another show of solidarity for the black community.

The police department had requested for people to send in videos of “illegal activity from the protests” that took place in the state over the weekend using a special app called iWatch Dallas. K-pop fans managed to crash the app by posting hundreds of FanCam videos, which are clips of K-pop performances that hone in on one particular band member.

The post K-pop fans drown out #WhiteLivesMatter hashtag appeared first on NME Music News, Reviews, Videos, Galleries, Tickets and Blogs | NME.COM.