LeBron James spoke out against the death of a black Minnesota man on Monday, posting a split photo of a police officer kneeling on the man’s neck and former quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeling before an NFL game.
The top of the photo contains the words: “This… is why”
The Los Angeles Lakers star is one of the many who have been angered by the death of George Floyd, which went viral Tuesday. Bystanders captured footage of an officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck during an arrest with Floyd yelling that he couldn’t breathe.
In the video, Floyd appears to lose consciousness and was later pronounced dead at the Hennepin Medical Center in Minneapolis. Police say Floyd appeared intoxicated in his car and went into medical distress once handcuffed.
“Do you understand NOW!!??!!??” James wrote on Instagram. “Or is it still blurred to you?? #StayWoke”
Kaepernick was the first athlete to take a knee during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality. He has not played in the NFL since the 2016 season, but has since become an activist for racial inequality.
Like Kaepernick, James hasn’t been shy in demanding justice for police brutality throughout his career.
Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey announced Tuesday that four officers involved in Floyd’s arrest have been fired. The FBI and state officials have said they will investigate Floyd’s death further.
View this post on InstagramDo you understand NOW!!??!!?? Or is it still blurred to you?? 🤦🏾♂️ #StayWoke👁
A post shared by LeBron James (@kingjames) on May 26, 2020 at 4:38pm PDT
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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