Influencer slammed for using blackface photo to show support for Black Lives Matter

Her followers were quick to call out the post as being offensive. Photo / Instagram

An Algerian influencer has been called out over a "disrespectful" post in which she uses blackface to show her support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Souhila Ben Lachhab is just one of several influencers who have been slammed for painting their face black, supposedly to show solidarity with the movement in response to George Floyd's death.

The black Minneapolis man was killed in police custody, with his death triggering worldwide protests against racism.

But instead of taking to the streets for peaceful demonstrations, some people have taken a different approach – painting their faces black.

Blackface traces its roots from 19th century minstrel performers who darkened their skin to play characters that promoted negative stereotypes about black men and women.

Lachhab shared a post to Instagram of her sporting half a face of blackface, writing in the caption that it was to show "we are one".

"Just because we are black on the outside, doesn't mean that we are black on the inside," she wrote.

"Racist people are the true black heart ones. They are black on the inside, though they do not know it."

But Lachhab's followers quickly pointed out that she had missed the point with her post, labelling it wildly offensive.

"Somebody take her phone and delete this," one person wrote, while another added: "Blackface is sourced from racism, you can express your solidarity without painting yourself." "Blackface is considered racist and offensive and disrespectful, educate yourself for f**k's sake," one person commented.

She's not the only influencer who has been called out over a misplaced attempt to show solidarity to the movement. Tania Saleh shared a photo of her face photoshopped onto a black woman's body, writing in the caption: "I wish I was black, today more than ever.

"Sending my love and full support to the people who demand equality and justice for all races anywhere in the world."

Saleh was called out over the image, with people accusing her of fetishising black people and of cultural appropriation.

"This is the worst post I've seen in my life by far," one person wrote. "Blackface, cultural appropriation, hijacking a movement, and wishing you were black just to 'fit in' with the current political context is astoundingly disrespectful."

But the influencer refused to apologise, saying she had "posted this with love and I will not remove it despite all your offensive comments".

After a raft of influencers were called out by Instagram page @SaintHoax for their photos featuring blackface, several have deleted and apologised for the posts.

Rashmi Zurail Mann has apologised and deleted a "make-up tutorial" in which she painted her face black.

Influencer @fantasticfhd has made his account private while deleting a post that featured him wearing dark foundation with white hands resting on his face, writing in the caption that "humanity should be our race".