Weeks after George Floyd's death and the mass protests it's ignited across the US, some Twitter users took the chance to point out that the African American man "was a porn star."
Do you even know George Floyd was a porn Star ?
— OMOTAYO Of Lagos ?? (@Tee_Classiquem1) June 5, 2020
Sharing videos and screenshots, some online users stressed the fact that the 46-years-old man, who was killed on the 25th of May 2020, had considered a career in adult film making.
RT Wrong on so many levels! To Hell with @SpeakerPelosi ! George Floyd was not a US Hero! He was a drug using, porn star who was killed by a renegade cop probably paid by the DNC to ignite a race riot. This flag is of a true hero. Buried in Arlington and damned well deserving. pic.twitter.com/nFDyw3ce14
— Michael Murdock ???? US NAVY VET/Conservative (@the1murdock) June 15, 2020
Confirmed by the Zimbabwe-based website iHarare, reports of Floyd's porn videos stirred a debate on whether such news changes the fact that the man, diagnosed later with COVID-19, was killed by police officers.
George Floyd has been awarded the Mahatma Gandhi Award for Non Violence.
— 304 Analytics (@304analytics) June 2, 2020
COME ON! He had fentanyl, meth & coke in his system, he was a porn star, he did time in jail for pointing a gun at a pregnant woman... this is a bit ridiculous.https://t.co/zta4X4z2lP
Several accounts shared the news downplaying the public outrage over Floyd's killing; highlighting his alleged consumption of drugs and porn videos.
"Did you know that *n word* george floyd was a porn star? I have no sympathy for him.he was a thug, he had criminal records, he deserved it, chauvin was a hero". It geniuenly pisses me off to no end and i am lowkey ashamed to be related to this man
— ???? ??????|NSFR (@rumtears) June 15, 2020
The fact that they leaked George Floyd was a porn star just goes to show that people are always trying to find ways to discredit you...cause what does that have to do with his death?
— Y’all Racist? (@Sam_Huncho) June 4, 2020
Responding to comments that highlighted his potential porn career to disparage Black Lives Matter protests that broke out in the wake of his death, many online commentators wondered whether such news changes the fact that he was brutally killed by the police last month.
so what if george floyd was a pornstar? yall be digging out the most irrelevant shit for no fucking reason bro go use all the time u have to go sign petitions
— yumeko ❤️ (@vorevinyl) June 15, 2020
Some comments also argued that "one shouldn't be a model citizen to deserve to live decently or to be respected by the police."
Dear #CandaceOwens
— Maybe: Sierra White (@isierranichole) June 10, 2020
Literally no one is saying George Floyd was a model citizen. But, your list of his "crimes" are completely irrelevant to the conversation at hand about racism, police brutality, and ending the life of a Black man.
You are a disgrace. pic.twitter.com/ydwgn26HXP