George Floyd protests: JK Rowling says ‘white people have to change’ as she shows support for Black Lives Matter

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JK Rowling has shown her support for the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd.

The Harry Potter author last week announced the release of her new children’s book The Ickabog and encouraged her young fans to submit drawings of its characters, resharing her favourites on Twitter.

However, following a weekend of protests across the America, Rowling paused the competition on her social media platform, returning on Monday (1 June) to explain her “few hours of radio silence”.

“I’ve paused on commenting on children’s drawings because, like everyone, I’ve been watching what’s happening in America,” she wrote.

“Anything I say feels inadequate. All I know is that the world has to change. Power structures have to change. White people have to change,” she continued, adding the hashtag: “#BlackLivesMatter.”

Rowling joins a growing group of celebrities to show their support for the cause, including Rihanna, Beyoncé and Billie Eilish.

18-year-old Eilish condemned people insisting that “all lives matter” in an Instagram post, writing: “Will you shut the f**k up?

“No one is saying your life doesn’t matter. No one is saying your life is not hard. No one is saying literally anything at all about you… all you MFs do is find a way to make everything about yourself. This is not about you. You are not in need. You are not in danger.”

Rihanna spoke of her “devastation, anger [and] sadness” felt since the death of Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck.

“Watching my people get murdered and lynched day after day pushed me to a heavy place in my heart,” Rihanna wrote.