Published 09:51 IST, June 1st 2020
Michael Jordan says he is 'deeply saddened and plain angry' about George Floyd's death
NBA legend Michael Jordan released a statement on the brutal killing of George Floyd. Jordan says he is "deeply saddened" and "plain angry" by his death.
NBA legend Michael Jordan says he is "deeply saddened" and "plain angry" by the brutal death of George Floyd. The 46-year-old unarmed African-American was killed last Monday by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The George Floyd's death has prompted mass protests across the entire United States and several players from the NBA and NFL have come forward voiced their support for justice.
Michael Jordan on George Floyd death
On Sunday, Michael Jordan took to social media to send his condolences to the family of George Floyd and also share his support for the mass protests. "I am deeply saddened, truly pained and plain angry. I see and feel everyone's pain, outrage and frustration," Michael Jordan statement read. "I stand with those who are calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of colour in our country. We have had enough.”
Michael Jordan emphasised on the strength of the collective voices and backed "peaceful" protests against the recent events of police brutality. "We need to continue peaceful expressions against injustice and demand accountability. Our unified voice needs to put pressure on our leaders to change our laws, or else we need to use our vote to create systemic change."
"My heart goes out to the family of George Floyd and to the countless others whose lives have been brutally and senselessly taken through acts of racism and injustice," Jordan concluded. The Chicago Bulls legend shared his message on social media and the same was also posted by Charlotte Hornets.
George Floyd death
On Monday, May 26, George Floyd was arrested by the police officers in Minneapolis for unspecified charges. A tussle between the two parties resulted in Floyd being subdued for several minutes by the police officer named, Derek Chauvin. Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd's neck, who was seen gasping for air before turning motionless. The George Floyd full video subsequently went viral on social media which highlighted the brutal nature of the incident where the 46-year-old can be seen repeatedly saying: "I can't breathe." He was pronounced dead the same day.
Once again highlighting racial profiling and police brutality, Floyd's death has prompted several protests and riots across several cities in the United States. The protests began in Minneapolis, where Floyd was murdered, but quickly spread to the major cities like Atlanta, New York, Houston, Boston and others. Derek Chauvin and the three other police officers were fired by the Minneapolis PD. On Friday, Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Michael Jordan's former NBA team Chicago Bulls and most of the other NBA teams have also issued statements regarding George Floyd's death.
Updated 09:51 IST, June 1st 2020