LOS ANGELES, May 31, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Two-time Grand Slam tennis champion
Naomi Osaka joined the chorus of athletes condemning the death of an unarmed
black man at the hands of Minneapolis police, posting pictures of protests
from the Minnesota city on her Instagram account.
“Just because it isn’t happening to you doesn’t mean it isn’t happening at
all,” wrote Osaka, whose mother is Japanese and whose father is Haitian.
“It’s funny to me that the people who wanna wear chains, blast hip hop in
the gym, attempt to get dapped up, and talk in slang are suddenly quiet right
now,” added Osaka, the former world number one who was this week touted by
Forbes magazine as the highest-paid female athlete in the world with earnings
of $37.4 million (34.3 million euros).
Minneapolis, Minnesota, has become the epicenter of violent protests since
George Floyd died there on Monday after police officer Derek Chauvin pinned
him to the ground for several minutes by kneeling on his neck.
Chauvin has been charged with murder and negligent manslaughter, but
protests across the country have turned violent.
US sports stars attuned to social issues were quick to voice outrage at
Floyd’s death.
Three-time NBA champion LeBron James contrasted the knee on Floyd’s neck
with the kneeling protests of former NFL star Colin Kaepernick in 2016.
Kaepernick, who was ostracized by the NFL for kneeling during the national
anthem in protest against racial injustice, has launched a fund to pay for
legal representation for protesters who need it.
In Germany on Saturday, Schalke’s American midfielder Weston McKennie wore
a “Justice for George” armband in his team’s 1-0 Bundesliga loss to Werder
Bremen.
“To be able to use my platform to bring attention to a problem that has
been going on too long feels good!!!” the 21-year-old tweeted.
Rising US tennis star Coco Gauff applauded Osaka’s Instagram’s post on
Saturday.
The 16-year-old African American, who burst onto the international scene
with a fourth-round run at Wimbledon last year that included a triumph over
her idol Venus Williams, had posted her own chilling condemnation of Floyd’s
death on social media on Friday.
In a video she referenced a number of unarmed black Americans who died in
recent years at the hands of authorities or white fellow citizens.
“Am I next?” Gauff asked.