Rihanna Marches in Stop Asian Hate Rally

Rihanna is showing her support for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.

Amid the rise in anti-Asian attacks, the singer attended a Stop Asian Hate rally in New York City on Easter Sunday (April 4). Her assistant Tina Truong shared photos and video of RiRi marching alongside her in the streets. Dressed in black leather and Jordans with sunglasses, a black hat, and mask, RiRi danced while holding up a neon sign that read “#StopAsianHate” on one side and “Hate = Racism Against God!” on the other.

“This is what solidarity looks like! #stopaapihate #stopasianhate #callitahatecrime,” Truong captioned the Instagram slideshow.

Rihanna was unrecognizable as one attendee asked for her Instagram handle before ultimately realizing who he was talking to. “When Rih gives you her IG handle but you think she trolling,” Truong captioned it. The man was in disbelief as he responded, “That’s you?”

In the wake of the Atlanta shootings that left eight people dead, six of whom were women of Asian descent, the singer spoke out against anti-Asian violence. “What happened yesterday in Atlanta was brutal, tragic & is certainly not an isolated incident by any means,” Rihanna tweeted last month. “AAPI hate has been rampantly perpetuated & it’s disgusting! I’m heartbroken for the Asian community & my heart is with the loved ones of those we lost. The hate must stop.”

Hate crimes against Asian Americans have risen since the start of the pandemic. According to a report by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, anti-Asian attacks jumped by 145% in 2020.

In addition to Rihanna, other celebrities including Ariana Grande, Pharrell, and Janet Jackson have condemned hate crimes against the AAPI community.