Orange Is the New Black and How to Get Away With Murder star Matt McGorry has become known as more than an actor since his rise to fame. He’s also an activist who fights for issues from Black Lives Matter to women’s and trans rights, and with an Instagram following of nearly two million, his voice is heard widely.
McGorry recently made two trips to Standing Rock to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline, and on the second, he said police were using jammers to prevent protestors from documenting the front lines of the protest. With wide reports of excessive force, this wouldn’t be surprising considering celebrities (others include Shailene Woodley and McGorry’s HTGAWM co-star Kendrick Sampson) have joined the efforts and are sharing what’s happening to millions of followers directly.
Last night on Instagram, McGorry posted a photo from the outskirts of the protest site and wrote “I tried to record other videos, but after hearing many accounts of how people’s cell phones and cell phone cameras have been interfered with by the police jammers, I experienced it first hand.”
He explained that upon approaching the front lines, his phone said it had no memory left and wouldn’t allow him to take more videos or photos. He said this was never an issue before, and that 30 minutes later when he was further from the front lines, his phone was working fine again. He said this happened two days in a row and that Sampson experienced a similar problem as well.
“It is terrifying,” he added on Instagram, “that even with the majority blackout of mainstream media, the people’s ability to document the injustices at Standing Rock are being interfered with. They don’t want the people to show the atrocities that are being and will continue to be committed. Each time the water protectors remain peaceful and are met with brute force, more people become aware of the horrible injustices being committed by the government. And the hearts and consciences of the people of the world will not stand by idly.”