LeBron James' message on racism from 2017 NBA Finals goes viral amid George Floyd protests

Editor's note: Almost 3 weeks subsequent to the publishing of this story, Fiona Moriarty-McLaughlin wrote an opinion piece in USA Today in which she clarified the sequence of events that took place before and after what she dubbed as her '17 seconds of infamy'. 

Moriarty-McLaughlin primarily clarified the following claims:

1. That she was not posing for an Instagram photo to portray herself as a volunteer
2. That the denunciations of her behaviour by US publications and celebrities like LeBron James and Pink were based on incorrect facts.
3. That the person who recorded the video of her attempting to help - not pose - was her father and not her boyfriend.
4. The quote attributed to her - “Good job guys, BLM” - was by one of the hecklers off camera.

The full clarification may be found here.

The protests surrounding the George Floyd death have raged on in the United States, with protestors carrying out silent rallies in support of the victim. The sports world, including LeBron James, has been vocal about the George Floyd death with LeBron James voicing his solidarity on social media and asking people to speak up. Recently, a video featuring LeBron James went viral in which he can be heard speaking about racism in America.

Also Read: Fiona Moriarty-McLaughlin Fired After LeBron James Drew Attention To 'fake Activism' Video

George Floyd protests: George Floyd death 

On May 25, George Floyd, 46, was detained for questioning. The incident which was caught on video showed a police officer identified as Derek Chauvin pinning Floyd down on the ground when things escalated and holding his knee to Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes as he continued to interrogate him. In the video that has since sparked outrage all over the world, just before the George Floyd death, the victim can be heard pleading in his last moments with the officer to let him go, as he could not breathe. The accused police officer has now been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the George Floyd death.

Also Read: George Floyd Protests: How NBA Stars Raised Their Voice Against Racial Injustice

George Floyd protests: LeBron James speaks about racism in the United States 

In light of LeBron James' outrage on social media in the last few days, a video of James talking about racism ahead of Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Finals series against Golden State Warriors in 2017 went viral. The former Cavaliers star about racial discrimination after a racial slur was spray-painted on the front gate of his house in Los Angeles in 2017. While talking to the media ahead of the Finals, LeBron James had said, "No matter how famous you are and how much money you earn, being black in America is tough." He had also said that "black people have a long way to go until they feel equal in America".

Also Read: LeBron James Asks "Why Doesn't America Love Us?" Amidst Protests Against Floyd's Death

George Floyd death: LeBron James angry over reported fake activism video of Fiona Moriarty-McLaughlin

While the George Floyd protests continue to make headlines in the US, the LeBron James Fiona Moriarty-McLaughlin incident also took centre stage this week. The NBA star shared a video of the wrongly reported 'fake activism' of Fiona Moriarty-McLaughlin. The viral video drew a lot of criticism from fans and athletes alike.

In the video, McLaughlin can be seen posing with an African-American construction worker with a power drill in her hand. Within 24 hours of her video going viral, Fiona Moriarty-McLaughlin was reportedly fired by The Washington Examiner.

Also Read: George Floyd Was The 'biggest' LeBron James Fan, Recalls His Nephew At Memorial Service

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