The cast and showrunner of NBC’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine have donated $100,000 to the National Bail Fund to be allocated toward those who are arrested during protests that have sparked across the country over the death of George Floyd.
“The cast and showrunner of Brooklyn 99 condemn the murder of George Floyd and support the many people who are protesting police brutality nationally,” said Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Stephanie Beatriz in a statement on Twitter. “Together we have made a $100,000 donation to The National Bail Fund Network.”
“We encourage you to look up your local bail fund,” added the actress, just in case anyone else who lives in a city that is on fire with stores that have been looted would like to also bail out so-called protesters.
Beatriz, who plays detective Rosa Diaz on the hit comedy show, suggested that actors who have been paid to play police officers onscreen should also donate to the National Bail Fund on behalf of those getting arrested during the George Floyd protests. Beatriz thanked actor Griffin Newman for coming up with the idea.
“I’m an out-of-work actor who (improbably) played a detective on two episodes of BLUE BLOODS almost a decade ago,” tweeted Newman on Monday. “If you currently play a cop? If you make tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in residuals from playing a cop? I’ll let you do the math.”
Included in the actor’s tweet was a screenshot of a purported receipt showing that he had donated $11,000 toward the bail out fund.
The next day, Beatriz followed suit with a similar tweet and a screenshot of a receipt of her own — also for $11,000.
“Thank you for making a contribution to the #FreeThemAll Emergency Response Fund,” read the purported receipt. “Your donation will be distributed to a local bail/bond fund in the National Bail Fund Network to get someone free from jail or immigration detention during the COVID-19 crisis.”
NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan said his officers “made 700 arrests” on Monday night in New York City. “So, if there were 2,000 out here. We put handcuffs on 700 of them. The problem being is that they’re back out here again tonight,” said Monahan.
On Tuesday, retired St. Louis police captain David Dorn was killed by people who broke into a pawn shop after protests turned violent in the city. Dorn was a gregarious and outspoken leader who mentored youths and insisted on strict ethical conduct among his employees, according to his longtime colleague.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.