Emma Watson responds to backlash over her Black Lives Matter post

'Harry Potter' star Emma Watson has responded to the backlash she faced for sharing three Instagram posts during the Blackout Tuesday online protest.

The 30-year-old actress divided fans on Tuesday when she posted three blank, black square posts on her social media with an aim to raise awareness of the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement.

 Some social media users feeling she was paying more attention to the aesthetic of her Instagram page rather than the spirit of the protest.

Taking to Instagram in the early hours of Tuesday, the actress said she was still trying to learn about racism, and moved to express her support for the fight against racism.

Emma wrote: “There is so much racism, both in our past and present, that is not acknowledged nor accounted for.

“White supremacy is one of the systems of hierarchy and dominance, of exploitation and oppression, that is tightly stitched into society.

“As a white person, I have benefited from this. While we might feel that, as individuals, we’re working hard internally to be anti-racist, we need to work harder externally to actively tackle the structural and institutional racism around us.

“I’m still learning about the many ways I unconsciously support and uphold a system that is structurally racist.

“Over the coming days, I’ll be using my bio link and Twitter to share links to resources I’ve found useful for my own researching, learning, listening.”

She added: “I see your anger, sadness and pain. I cannot know what this feels like for you but it doesn’t mean I won’t try to.”

The Harry Potter star has also long been a vocal supporter of human rights and boasts a history of trying to amplify voices, particularly in the realm of feminism.

The Blackout Tuesday movement was intended to see social media users share a single black square to show solidarity with the campaign for justice following the death of George Floyd on 25 May.