NBA star LeBron James, and NFL players Odell Beckham and Colin Kaepernick, are among a list of athletes speaking out on the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd, who lost his life this week from injuries suffered during an altercation with police officers on Monday.
Floyd died on Monday after he was arrested that day in Minneapolis. His death became a national scandal after video of the arrest showed an officer pinning the man down with a knee to the neck. The man, who is not resisting in the video, can be heard telling officers that he can’t breathe.
By Tuesday, the four officers involved in the arrest were fired by Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo and Mayor Jacob Frey.
But the incident became a rallying call for many athletes. LeBron James, for instance, paired an image of the arrest with a picture of Colin Kaepernick with a caption reading, “This is why.”
Other athletes including former NBA player Stephen Jackson, NFL stars Odell Beckham Jr. and DeMarcus Lawrence, NBA stars Jaylen Brown and Donovan Mitchell, and Basketball Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie, also jumped to social media to speak out on the incident.
Worlds honestly sickening. It really is….. no explanation
— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) May 27, 2020
DONE BEING QUIET AND DONE BEING ANGRY. HOW CAN WE FEEL SAFE WHEN THOSE MEANT TO PROTECT US ARE KILLIN’ US?!!!! WHEN WILL MINORITIES BE FREE TO BE AMERICANS IN AMERICA!?
— DeMarcus Lawrence (@TankLawrence) May 26, 2020
If I was in attendance I would have been arrested for sure https://t.co/odtTz8cKhg
— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) May 27, 2020
SICKENING!!! I HAVE NO WORDS MAN!!! https://t.co/vrFJAcRw55
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) May 27, 2020
If anybody that follows me is not outraged about these senseless attacks on BLACK MEN, please stop following me! If your spirit is not disturbed, please stop following me! This inflicted Pain but it will never inflict FEAR… sorry, were not made like that! #BlackMenMatter pic.twitter.com/A9tSSzOSh6
— Lisa Leslie (@LisaLeslie) May 27, 2020
So…don’t ask why he took a knee…they’re still killing BLACK MEN and getting away with this sh*t! I don’t condone starting a war but I think it’s clear what we need to start doing yo… pic.twitter.com/IJKHHradK5
— Nathan Napalm Palmer (@RealNaPalm) May 26, 2020
Palmer posted an additional tweet exclaiming “FUCK THE POLICE.”
I don’t want to hear “all cops aren’t bad” because enough are displaying behavior menacing to our society. No one is addressing it properly and WE are tired of seeing it so FUCK THE POLICE until one of you mfs get the death penalty for this shit!!! #RIPGeorgeFloyd #stopkillingus
— Nathan Napalm Palmer (@RealNaPalm) May 26, 2020
My name is Rashod Bateman. I’m an African Male from South Georgia. I never thought in a million years I would be scared to walk outside. I pray that we all wake up and start loving each other the correct way and stop taking each other lives. No matter the color, we are all one. pic.twitter.com/KaW3AWpNJP
— Rashod Bateman (@R_bateman2) May 26, 2020
The sign says it all.. pic.twitter.com/7pC0mK9oNN
— Gable Steveson (@GSteveson) May 26, 2020
This is murder. Disgusting. Seriously, what the hell is wrong with US???? https://t.co/wesEwd4Bb2
— Steve Kerr (@SteveKerr) May 26, 2020
According to ESPN, on his Instagram stories feed, Kaepernick also shared the image juxtaposing his kneeling photo with the photo of Floyd’s arrest.
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