The NFL said Monday it will not fine or otherwise discipline the Rams players who struck a “hands up, don’t shoot” stance as they entered the playing field Sunday — a show of solidarity with Ferguson-area protesters that angered members of St. Louis Police Officers Association.
In a statement to USA Today explaining its decision, the NFL said, “We respect and understand the concerns of all individuals who have expressed views on this tragic situation.”
The SLPOA had issued a scathing response to the players’ public show of support for the Ferguson protesters, saying their actions only fanned the flames and tensions. The group also said the players should be disciplined, and the team should apologize.
“The St. Louis Police Officers Association is profoundly disappointed with the members of the St. Louis Rams football team who chose to ignore the mountains of evidence released from the St. Louis County grand jury this week and engage in a display that police officers around the nation found tasteless, offensive and inflammatory,” the group said in a widely reported statement.
The team, meanwhile, said it didn’t know of any players’ planned protest.
Wide receiver Stedman Bailey, one of the five players who entered the field on Sunday with their hands raised above their heads — in a “hands up, don’t shoot” pose — said of his display: “Violence should stop. There’s a lot of violence going on here in St. Louis. We definitely hear about it all, and we just want it to stop,” USA Today reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.