Published 18:18 IST, May 27th 2020
LeBron James makes Colin Kaepernick reference in IG post about George Floyd's death
George Floyd killed: Lakers star LeBron James referenced Colin Kaepernick with his latest Instagram post condemning the killing of George Floyd.
- SportFit
- 3 min read
"George Floyd killed" was the latest in the line of the numerous instances surrounding police brutality and racial discrimination in the United States. The news of 'George Floyd killed' spread like wildfire across the USA, and the rest of the world, when a passerby uploaded the video of the entire incident on social media. There was immediate outrage in the city of Minneapolis, where the incident occurred, as citizens took to the streets to protest against racial discrimination and mourn the death of George Floyd. A host of American celebrities and athletes also took to social media to protest against police brutality and racial discrimination in light of the event. One of the people to raise their voice against the ongoing injustice was Los Angeles Lakers superstar, LeBron James.
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George Floyd killed: Protests emerge in Minneapolis on May 26, 2020
LeBron James cites Colin Kaepernick in IG post about George Floyd's death
Colin Kaepernick kneels in latest LeBron James Instagram post
LeBron James uploaded a post on his Instagram handle (as seen above) which included a picture of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeling. LeBron James, who joined the Lakers in 2018, accompanied the picture with a caption condemning the racial discrimination. The picture compares the 'Colin Kaepernick kneels' incident from the 2016 NFL season to the incident that occurred in Minneapolis earlier this week.
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While playing for San Franciso 49ers, quarterback Colin Kaepernick famously knelt as the national anthem was played in the third preseason game of the 2016 season. The Milwaukee-born athlete went on to kneel for all NFL matches that season as a sign of protest against rampant police brutality that was on the rise across the United States. Colin Kaepernick was quoted in an interview back then saying, "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder," as he referenced a string of racism-motivated deaths at the hands of law enforcement that led to the Black Lives Matter movement. Following the end of his contract with 49ers, Kaepernick remained unsigned in the 2017 offseason and accused the NFL of 'blackballing' him.
George Floyd killed: Athletes condemn police brutality and racism in Minneapolis
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Updated 18:18 IST, May 27th 2020