Natalie Portman Initially Felt Fear from 'Defund the Police' Campaign, But Now Supports It

Natalie Portman is opening up about the first reaction she had when she heard the phrase “defund the police” and how she now supports the campaign.

“When I first heard #defundthepolice, I have to admit my first reaction was fear. My whole life, police have made me feel safe. But that’s exactly the center of my white privilege: the police make me as a white woman feel safe, while my black friends, family and neighbors feel the opposite: police make them feel terror. And for good reason,” the Oscar-winning actress wrote on Instagram.

Natalie continued, “Police are the 6th leading cause of death for black men in this country. These are not isolated incidents. They are patterns and part of the system of over-policing of black Americans. Reforms have not worked. Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, is one of the most progressive police forces in the country, having undergone extensive anti-bias training.”

“I am grateful to the leaders in the @mvmnt4blklives who have made us question the status quo,” Natalie said. “And who have made us imagine, what a world could be like in which we invested in nourishing people; (in their education, healthcare, environment, shelter)— rather than putting all of our money into punishment. I’ve gotten to the age in my life, where if my gut feels uncomfortable, I take the situation as wrong. But this concept initially made me uncomfortable because I was wrong. Because the system that makes me feel comfortable is wrong.”

Natalie also shared some resources that you can see in the Instagram embed below.

Last month, Natalie shared a rare photo of her two children.