Canadian singer Justin Bieber appreciates Donald Trump going into bat for A$AP Rocky but also asks him to let children out of cages. Photo / AP
Canadian singer Justin Bieber appreciates Donald Trump going into bat for A$AP Rocky but also asks him to let children out of cages. Photo / AP
Justin Bieber has tweeted at Donald Trump to thank him for trying to get A$AP Rocky out of prison but used the moment to criticise him for keeping 'kids in cages'.
Canadian singer Justin Bieber has taken to Twitter to thank US President Donald Trump for negotiating with the Swedish Prime Minister to have rapper A$AP Rocky released from detention over an alleged brawl.
But Bieber took the opportunity to make another plea on behalf of an even more vulnerable incarcerated: children of illegal immigrants.
I want my friend out.. I appreciate you trying to help him. But while your at it @realDonaldTrump can you also let those kids out of cages?
Earlier today Mr Trump said he had spoken with the Prime Minister of Sweden regarding the legal status of US rapper A$AP Rocky, and is working with the government of Sweden to bail him out of prison.
The US president said that he had made the promise to personally vouch for Rocky's whereabouts in a phone call with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven.
Just had a very good call with @SwedishPM Stefan Löfven who assured me that American citizen A$AP Rocky will be treated fairly. Likewise, I assured him that A$AP was not a flight risk and offered to personally vouch for his bail, or an alternative....
Just spoke to @KanyeWest about his friend A$AP Rocky’s incarceration. I will be calling the very talented Prime Minister of Sweden to see what we can do about helping A$AP Rocky. So many people would like to see this quickly resolved!
However, Sweden's prime minister Stefan Lofven has said he "cannot and will not attempt to influence prosecutors or courts."
"I will explain that the Swedish judicial system is independent. In Sweden, everyone is equal before the law, and this includes visitors from other countries," he said.
Sweden doesn't actually have a bail system, according to experts.
Rather, the suspect is detained in police custody or in pre-trial prison detention while authorities investigate the case.
Rocky, a platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated artist whose real name is Rakim Mayers, has been in prison since July 5 while Swedish authorities investigate a fight he was allegedly involved in Stockholm before appearing at a music festival.
It was not clear who else was involved, but videos published on social media appear to show a person being violently thrown onto the ground by Rocky.
US President Donald Trump says he has personally spoken with the Swedish Prime Minister to guarantee the fair treatment of detained rap star A$AP Rocky. Photo / AP
A defence lawyer has said it was self-defence.
Urged on by the first lady and celebrities including Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West, Mr Trump said he is trying to help free Rocky.
Kardashian West's sister, Kendall Jenner, once dated the rapper.
The case has earned the attention of a slew of celebrities, including recording artist and producer Sean "Diddy" Combs; singer Justin Bieber; singer Shawn Mendes; actress Jada Pinkett Smith; Kardashian West's mother, reality star Kris Jenner; singer Nicki Minaj; and rapper Post Malone, as well as Kardashian West, who has worked with the Trump administration on criminal justice reform issues.
One senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Kardashian West had reached out to Mr Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner to tell him about the situation on behalf of her husband, a Trump supporter.
Mr Kushner then briefed Mr Trump, according to the official, who said Mr Trump felt the case was worth looking into, and directed his Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, to try to move Rocky to better holding conditions and see what else could be done.
The State Department said on Friday that it was following the case but declined to provide details, citing privacy considerations.
Providing assistance to US citizens detained abroad is one of the department's most important functions, it said.
Kardashian West thanked Mr Trump, Sec. Pompeo and Mr Kushner via Twitter, along with "everyone involved with the efforts to Free ASAP Rocky & his two friends." "Your commitment to justice reform is so appreciated," she wrote Thursday. Trump did not mention Kardashian West or Mr Kushner to reporters in the Oval Office on Friday and said it was his wife who had originally brought the case to his attention.
Kendall Jenner and A$AP Rocky cosy up with other celebrities at the Met Gala. Photo / Instagram
"She was telling me about, 'Can you help A$AP Rocky?"' said Mr Trump, who said he'd also heard from others.
"Many, many members of the African-American community have called me, friends of mine, and said, 'Could you help?' So I personally don't know A$AP Rocky, but I can tell you that he has tremendous support from the African-American community in this country," he said.
A$AP Rocky is being held by a Swedish court since July 5 in pre-trial detention while police investigate a fight in central Stockholm. Photo / AP
"We'll be talking to them," Mr Trump said, referring to Swedish officials. "We've already started."
"We're working with the State Department, and we hope to get him home soon," added first lady Melania Trump.
Black Trump supporters, including Ohio pastor Darrell Scott, and Kareem Lanier, co-chair of the Urban Revitalisation Coalition, have rejected the idea that Mr Trump was calling attention to the issue to distract from criticism of his attacks against four Democratic congresswomen of colour, noting the administration had been working on the issue before the US president's feud with the so-called "squad".
Stockholm's District Court decided on Friday that Rocky would remain in custody another week to allow police to complete their investigation. They have until July 25.
