Celebrity Kevin Hart criticized for telling Jussie Smollett to 'stand strong' after homophobic attack

Source: Yahoo Celebrity

January 30, 2019 at 10:43

Kevin Hart sent his regards to Jussie Smollett after Smollett was allegedly assaulted in what is believed to have been a racist and homophobic attack. (Photo: John Lamparski/Getty Images)

Queer Eye co-host Jonathan Van Ness, meanwhile, responded to Hart’s Instagram post by offering a teaching moment — though some Hart fans accused him of picking on the Jumanji star.

Tuesday’s news that Empire star Jussie Smollett was attacked in what Chicago police are investigating as a suspected hate crime has prompted outrage and sadness from several high-profile figures, including Zendaya, Steve Harvey and Cher. Nancy Pelosi called it “an affront to our humanity,” while Emma Watson lashed out at the “ugly prejudice and bigotry behind this violence.”

Kevin Hart also voiced his disgust at the attack, during which police say the openly gay Smollett was subjected to racist and homophobic slurs while a noose was put around his neck and an “unknown chemical substance” was poured on him. Smollett also confirmed to police that his two attackers shouted, “MAGA country.”

Hart addressed the “unbelievably sad” attack in an Instagram post and a video posted to Instagram Stories, in which he decried society going “backwards.”

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