Doechii Calls Out Trump Administration for ‘Creating Fear and Chaos’ at L.A. Protests in BET Awards Speech

Doechii made the most of her first BET Award win on Monday night, telling an audience of honorees and attendees at the Peacock Theater that she felt a “responsibility as an artist” to address the immigration protests and raids in Los Angeles.

“I do want to address what’s happening right now, outside the building,” said Doechii, referring to the protests happening in Downtown Los Angeles, home of the Peacock Theater. “These are ruthless attacks that are creating fear and chaos in our communities. In the name of law and order, Trump is using military forces to stop a protest, and I want you all to consider what kind of government it appears to be — when every time we exercise our democratic right to protest, the military is deployed against us.”

California National Guard troops arrived in the city on Sunday in a show of force following division between immigration agents and protesters and amid a burgeoning fight between California and the Trump administration. Protests started on Friday after Immigration Customs Enforcement officers carried out raids in three locations across Los Angeles, where dozens of people were taken into custody, per NBC News.

Doechii said she would use her voice to stand up for “all oppressed people, for Black people, for Latino people, for trans people, for the people in Gaza.” She continued, “What type of government is that? People are being swept up and torn from their families? We all deserve to live in hope and not in fear. And I hope we stand together my brothers and my sisters against hate and we protest against it.”

Doechii won the award for best female hip-hop artist, a category that also recognized Cardi B, Doja Cat, Glorilla, Latto, Megan Thee Stallion, Nicki Minaj, Rapsody and Sexyy Red as nominees.