‘I Know There’s a Person in That Uniform.’ Keke Palmer Discusses Asking National Guard to ‘March With Us’ During Protests

Keke Palmer, like many people around the world, attended a peaceful protest on Tuesday in honor of George Floyd and her interaction with some members of the National Guard went viral.

The actor had joined a demonstration in Hollywood when she spotted a contingent of the National Guard deployed on the streets. In an interaction captured on video, she approached a group of them with a question: Would they join the march? In the viral video, Palmer can be heard saying, “March with us. March beside us. Let the revolution be televised, march beside us and show us that you’re here for us. Make history with us.” As Palmer stated her call to action, other protestors joined in asking the Guard to show their support for the movement.

“March with us, it will send a huge message,” Palmer said in a video tweeted by NBC News correspondent Gadi Schwartz. “You’re the protector. If you’re supposed to be patrolling us, then walk with us.”

Palmer went on to say, “This is when y’all stand together with the community, with society, to stop the governmental oppression. Period. We need you, so march with us.” In the video, a member of the Guard says that they cannot leave their post, and when another protestor asks them to take a knee, they do. For Palmer, though, that was not sufficient, saying, “I don’t know — that ain’t enough for me.”

After the video spread across social media, Palmer appeared on Good Morning America to discuss her approach. “I wanted to just bring as much awareness as we all can to the injustices that are going on in America,” Palmer told Good Morning America. “Being there with everyone, we were all just so inspired and empowered.”

Palmer went on to explain some of her motivation for approaching the Guard. “Obviously everyone has a choice to make in working for the government, whether you are a policeman or working with the National Guard or politics,” she continued. “I think I as a citizen want to know what side of history you’re trying to be on? Is there a person in that uniform? I know there’s a person in that uniform.”