California

'She Is Not a Hashtag': Anne Hathaway Dedicates Post to Stabbing Victim While Decrying White Privilege

The Oscar-winner said white people do not have "equivalence for this fear of violence"

Anne Hathaway calls the fatal stabbing of a young black woman at a subway station in Oakland, California, unspeakable while condemning white privilege.

Authorities say a white 27-year-old parolee faces charges in the July 22 death of Nia Wilson. Prosecutors are still investigating if John Cowell was motivated by hate.

Hathaway wrote on her Instagram account: "White people - including me, including you - must take into the marrow of our privileged bones the truth that ALL black people fear for their lives DAILY in America."

The Academy Award-winning actress wrote white people don't have the "equivalence for this fear of violence." She says they must ask themselves how "decent" they are in their actions.

The 27-year-old transient was charged Wednesday with murder and premeditated attempted murder for the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Wilson and the stabbing of her sister at the MacArthur BART station on Sunday night.

Cowell said very little at his short three-minute hearing at an Oakland courtroom that was packed with Wilson's family members, law enforcement officials and reporters and was ordered by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Scott Patton to return to court on Aug. 22 to enter a plea.

Cowell's family says he has suffered from mental illness and failed to receive proper treatment.

Hathaway was the latest celebrity to comment on the killing.

Oakland-made celebrities like singer Kehlani and rapper Daveed Diggs also posted about Wilson's death on social media.

Kehlani critized BART for being able to catch fare evaders but not being able to locate Cowell. She tweeted about the wave of gentrification and racism in the city of Oakland: "can’t afford to live here no more THEN risk being murderered by racist white folks who ain’t from here to begin with?"

Diggs expressed anger and sadness over Wilson's death on Twitter, saying "Nia Wilson had her whole life ahead of her. We have got to do better."

NBC Bay Area's Kiki Intarasuwan contributed to this story.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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