‘An intense time’: John Boyega thanks followers for support during Black Lives Matter protests

"I believe any great movement starts with a renewal of the mind."

John Boyega has thanked his followers and fans for their support during the Black Lives Matter protests. The Star Wars actor has been lending his voice and platform to the anti-racism fight since the death of George Floyd sparked a series of international protests against the treatment of people of colour. Boyega took part in several demonstrations over the past week, speaking at protests in the UK about the racism that still exists across the country and elsewhere. He took to Instagram last night to share his thanks to his followers and to encourage others to keep fighting. "This is an intense time for our community, and the most important thing is for us to maintain momentum and not lose sight of how critical it is to pursue long term solutions and commitments, for the sake of our generation, and the next," he wrote. "Our individual pursuits of success and belonging remain, but now more than ever, it’s important to use this movement as fuel to inspire new ways of thinking, building, and growing, together. "I believe any great movement starts with a renewal of the mind. I know you’re all thinking, what’s next? Where do we go from here? Because I’m thinking the same shit!" Boyega went on to say that conversations about black businesses and sustainable ideas about ownerships need to continue as the movement progresses. He said that he will continue to use his platform "to fight against the injustices and inequalities in our community, no matter what," but added that he cannot do so alone. "I need you, and we need each other!" he said. "We need everyone, across industry’s, socio-economic backgrounds, countries, to unite with a shared goal of REAL change. "I urge the black men of our community, my peers, to do the same. Connecting with our kids and motivating them towards a future that is stronger and brighter, is urgent, and necessary. In the meantime, let’s work on clearing the runway for them, so they can take off, and fly. Love everyone, and stay safe x." Boyega has previously expressed that he was putting his career on the line by supporting the Black Lives Matter protests. The actor has been consistently critically of Hollywood's lack of diversity in the past, saying that "laziness" has led to a severe lack of people of colour in big budget films. "If you're basing a film in present day New York, you know that you have the opportunity to now cast people from various different backgrounds," he told Mashable in 2018. "Because a city like New York, that's kind of what you're going to get. "So it's no excuse, really. I think point blank it can sometimes be a limited perspective and sometimes laziness. And I think that moves like this, the inclusion riders, moves like that make people more aware."