Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris used the phrase “monumental courage” to describe decisions by the NBA and WNBA to cancel games, in protest of the officer-involved shooting of Jacob Blake.
Breitbart News reported that the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks opted to boycott the fifth game of the Eastern Conference playoffs in light the August 23, 2020, officer-involved shooting of Jacob Blake. As a result of the Bucks’ decision, the NBA announced it would postpone three other playoff games set to take place as a show of support.
Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden praised the Bucks for refusing to play, tweeting, “This moment demands moral leadership. And these players answered by standing up, speaking out, and using their platform for good. Now is not the time for silence.”
Harris followed in Biden’s footsteps, tweeting support for the two leagues after games were cancelled:
It takes monumental courage to stand up for what you believe in. NBA and WNBA players, keep standing up and demanding change. https://t.co/CRNbfoH1wL
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 27, 2020
The WNBA’s Washington Mystics responded to the officer-involved shooting by donning shirts that spelled out Jacob Blake’s name on front, while the backs of the shirts were covered with images of seven bullet holes:
The Washington Mystics wear T-shirts spelling out Jacob Blake's name on the front.
On the back, seven bullet holes. pic.twitter.com/bNSzdQ779N
— The Undefeated (@TheUndefeated) August 26, 2020
Blake was shot and injured August 23, 2020, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Sunday at 5 p.m.
On August 26, 2020, Breitbart News reported a Wisconsin Department of Justice report which says police first used a taser against Blake, but “it was not successful.” As Blake leaned forward into his car Officer Rusten Sheskey held on to his shirt then fired the rounds that injured Blake.
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported that “Blake told police he had a knife in an interview following the shooting. It is unclear whether responding officers knew Blake had a knife. Attorney General Josh Kaul in a news conference was asked repeatedly about it and declined to be more specific.”
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.
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