Influencer receives immediate backlash after posing for a photoshoot during a Black Lives Matter protest

An influencer who was recorded posing for photos amid a Black Lives Matter protest has received a strong backlash from social media users.

In a video uploaded to Twitter, Russian Instagram influencer Kris Schatzel - who boasts over 200,000 followers on the photo-sharing platform - can be seen posing in a flowing dress and holding a sign reading "Black Lives Matter". The video then shows her position herself in the street amid marching protesters, as a photographer takes pictures of her.

Check out the video below:

The video was captured during a demonstration in Los Angeles on Friday, and later shared by the Twitter account Influencers in the Wild, alongside the caption: "Stop treating the protests like Coachella".

Since being shared by the influencer-shaming page, it has since racked up more than 143,000 retweets, and countless comments from enraged Twitter users.

One person responded to the video by saying: "One of the many things that 2020 has taught us is that influencers ain’t shit and need to be cancelled."

Whereas another wrote: "The card says BLACK LIVES MATTER. The action tells me INSTA LIKES MATTER MORE."

People were also quick to do their investigation work and identify Kris Schatzel and the photographer:

Schatzel has since responded to the backlash, calling the criticism she's faced "detrimental to the movement".

Prior to making her Instagram account private, Schatzel wrote: "I truly believe this level on intolerance and hateful comments are detrimental to the movement and what we are all trying to achieve for black and brown communities.

"I hope we can all we can all focus on the true cause as to why we are all here."

But Schatzel certainly hasn't been the last social media user to be called out for using the protests as an opportunity to pose for a picture and gain some likes:

Credit: 3630

Unrest continues to unfold across the US, as protests - some peaceful, some violent - are calling out the systemic injustices carried out against black people, not least seen by the recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor.

As well as a call for justice, these ongoing protests are also demanding an end to police brutality and the racism that is so deeply entrenched in America and the western world.

The message is simple: Black lives matter.

VT proudly supports Black Lives Matter, and for ways to contribute to the cause, please click HERE.