Ahmaud Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-James, called out Kanye West for making a “mockery” of the Black Lives Matter movement in a statement provided to Rolling Stone on Tuesday. West had worn a shirt with the phrase, “White Lives Matter,” during his YZY SZN 9 fashion show.
“As a result of his display ‘White Lives Matter’ started trending in the U.S., which would directly support and legitimize extremist behavior, [much] like the behavior that took the life of her son,” Cooper-James’ attorney, Lee Merritt, said to Rolling Stone. “That is the thing that Wanda and families like hers continue to fight against.”
(Photo by Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images for ADIDAS)
The statement continued: “This mockery of the Black Lives Matter movement and his now denunciation of the movement as some sort of hoax flies directly in the face [of what he’s said]. It’s confusing for her, it’s confusing for the families to receive his support privately, but publicly to set us all back.”
Despite backlash to the shirt, West reaffirmed his stance in a post on his Instagram Story afterward. He also posed for a photo next to conservative commentator Candace Owens.
“Everyone knows that Black Lives Matter was a scam. Now it’s over. You’re welcome,” he wrote.
Ye previously supported the Arbery family by offering to pay for the legal fees in their fight for justice.
Check out West’s controversial shirt below.
[Via]