Influencer slammed for using Black Lives Matter protest as photo opp

Enlarge Image

Influencer Kris Schatzel poses in the middle of a Black Lives Matter rally.
Twitter

Another white Instagram star is being slammed for treating Black Lives Matter protests like a Coachella photo opp.

On Friday, the Twitter account Influencers in the Wild posted a video of Russian influencer Kris Schatzel — in a black sheer gown with Black Lives Matter sign — pulling on her hair and prancing up to photographer Mila Voyna over and over as they tried to get the perfect shot.

The pair were dodging demonstrators who were marching by.

Influencers in the Wild captioned the clip: “Stop treating the protests like Coachella pt 17.”

The Twitterati were quick to condemn Shatzel.

User @Bushinchainz wrote: “what does a desperate and disgusting #grandenarcissist do during a nationwide protest? do that s— again…. i DARE YOU.”

And @BoringlySmith wrote: “If she’s not canceled for opportunistically using  #BLackLivesMatter as a f—ing fashion show y’all can go to hell.”

Other users weighed in with: “I swear some people think the protest is Coachella or a rock concert. They go there to hang out and flex on social media”; “Ah the irony of a white woman profiting off a protest about black lives being exploited”;  and “Oh no…. oh no. Look at her. Uh-uh. This is bulls—.”

The backlash caused Shatzel to delete her Twitter account and switch her Instagram page, which has 214,000 followers, to private.

She later apologized on her Instagram story, the Mirror reported.

“This is a huge misunderstanding!!! Later I will explain everything an apologize! My intention was never to disrespect the movement but to add to the movement the way that I know how. Peace.”

Voyna, the photographer, was less conciliatory, writing: “I don’t understand why people are so aggressive when you’re on their side, and if you’re supporting! I believe that the union between humanity will never happen if we continue like this! Everyone reacts ugly before they understand what’s going on! Hopefully this changes! Love and peace!”

Other influencers also have use demonstrations as backdrops for photos.

Fiona Moriarty-McLaughlin, who uses the handle @FactsWithFiona on Twitter, was put on blast after pretending to board up a storefront before dashing back to a Mercedes — and driving away.

And another woman was caught having her boyfriend take shots of her outside a looted T Mobile store, which prompted @InfluencersInTheWild to post a video. The narrator is astonished: “This girl is making her boyfriend take a picture of her in front of a smashed T-Mobile. [Gasp]. Oh my God.”