Published 12:17 IST, June 1st 2020

Jadon Sancho, Achraf Hakimi and others gesture support for 'Justice for George Floyd'

Dortmund duo Jadon Sancho & Achraf Hakimi and Schalke's Weston McKennie wore 'Justice for George Floyd' undershirt and armband respectively during the weekend.

Reported by: Sujay Chakraborty
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The death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer has sparked mass outrage in the United States. Last Monday, Floyd, an unarmed African-American, was murder by Derek Chauvin, a police officer, in the streets of Minneapolis. Several NFL and NBA players flocked to social media to express their frustration with the incident and voice their support for the protests in the country. Bundesliga, one of the few active sports leagues at the moment, saw several players join the 'Justice for George Floyd' movement, by showcasing different gestures during the matches.

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George Floyd death: Jadon Sancho, Achraf Hakimi wear 'Justice for George Floyd' undershirts

Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho started for his side on Sunday when they took on Paderborn. Sancho scored a hat-trick as Dortmund comfortable breezed past Paderborn, winning 6-1. After scoring his second goal in the 57th minute, Jadon Sancho joined the protests after he revealed his undershirt that had a handwritten message, 'Justice for George Floyd,' on the front. However, Sancho was booked by the referee for his celebration. In the same match, Jadon Sancho's teammate, Achraf Hakimi, followed suit with Sancho after he revealed the same message under his jersey after scoring in the 82nd minute.

Also Read | Jadon Sancho Displays 'Justice For George Floyd' T-shirt After Hat-trick Against Paderborn

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Marcus Thuram celebration

On Sunday, Borussia Monchengladbach beat Union Berlin 4-1. Marcus Thuram, who was on the scoresheet for Monchengladbach, took a moment during his goal celebration to gesture his support for the ongoing protests in the United States. Marcus Thuram briefly celebrated with his teammates before dropping his left knee to the ground and bowing down, reflecting the tragic murder. 

Weston Mckennie's armband, Kylian Mbappe's message

Schalke midfielder and US international Weston McKennie was another Bundesliga star who showed his support for the protests. During Saturday's match against Werder Bremen, Weston McKennie wore a black armband which read, 'Justice for George Floyd." The 21-year-old is from Fort Lewis, Washington and played for FC Dallas before heading to the Bundesliga in 2016. After his side's 1-0 loss to Bremen, McKennie posted a message on Twitter where he said that he felt "good" to be able to use his platform to bring attention to the incident of police brutality in his native country.

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Paris Saint Germain forward Kylian Mbappe also posted his 'Justice For George' message to Twitter on Saturday.

Also Read | Marcus Thuram Celebration: A Tribute To Floyd As Gladbach Beats Union 4-1

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George Floyd death

George Floyd's murder by a police officer became a subject of national interest after the footage of him being strangled by Derek Chauvin went viral on social media. The video saw Chauvin pressing his knee against Floyd's neck for more than seven minutes, while Floyd was seen gasping for air. The 46-year-old was pronounced dead later that night. 

Derek Chauvin and the three other police officers - Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng - were fired by the Minneapolis Police Department. On Friday, Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Mass protests are a common sight across the major cities in the US like Boston, Minneapolis, Houston, New York several others. The likes of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Jaylen Brown, Odell Beckham Jr. and many others have come forward to support the peaceful protests against the unjust killing of George Floyd.

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Also Read | Jadon Sancho Could Leave For £87M This Summer, Man United Look To Build Brand Around No.7

(Image Credits: Weston McKennie Official Twitter Handle, Jadon Sancho, Achraf Hakimi Official Instagram Pages)

12:17 IST, June 1st 2020