CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers, one of two NBA teams (Phoenix Suns) with both a black head coach and general manager, have released a statement following the publicized tragic death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody Monday.
It’s a joint statement from coach J.B. Bickerstaff and GM Koby Altman.
“Our hearts are filled with sadness, disgust and overall frustration as we continue to process the tragic and senseless acts of violence towards yet another individual of the African American community. Our sincere condolences go out to the members of the Floyd family and those who came to know and love him. This is a very important time in our history and the images of this incident as well as the countless others will blister a lasting image in our minds forever. What’s happening in our country today has left an emotional strain and unfortunately has shaped how we conduct our lives on a daily basis. We should not have to live in fear.
“This is not the first time that we have had to stand together in an attempt to impact change, but this could be the first time we actually ‘DO’ create change for all of humanity. In the face of desired change, we cannot treat this as an isolated incident of outrage, but one that we remain consistently engaged with and one where we focus our energy toward sustainable accountability. We have a responsibility as fathers, husbands and leaders of young men to stand up and speak up for those who no longer have a voice. During times like these, we have to work through our pain and work together to find a solution. Let’s all do our part!”
On Monday, officers responded to reports of counterfeit money being used and approached Floyd’s vehicle. According to police, Floyd was told to move away from the car, physically resisted officers and was handcuffed. Video of the incident surfaced shortly after, showing a white officer with his knee on Floyd’s neck, pinning him down. While on the ground, Floyd, unarmed and handcuffed, can be heard saying, “Please, I can’t breathe.”
The incident has spurred days of protests in Minnesota’s largest city as well as other locations across the country.
A protest is scheduled in Cleveland Saturday, as Black Lives Matter Cleveland has called for people to gather at the Free Stamp just east of City Hall to rally for justice for Floyd.
“The death of George Floyd is heartbreaking, appalling and tragic," the Cavaliers organization wrote in a release. "Our collective humanity suffers greatly in the midst of senseless acts like this. Not just now, but always. Unfortunately, there are many other examples and the impact continues to resonate and reverberate far beyond the place and time each specifically occurs. These situations touch and reduce ALL of us.
"We believe All for One really does mean ALL. Thus, ALL of us, both individually and as organizations and communities, have a responsibility to speak up and try to influence and help end horrible situations and outcomes like this. Let’s all respond with a sense of urgency and deeper determination to make life better and work towards a world where everyone feels safe.”
On Friday, one of the former officers -- Derek Chauvin -- was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck. Under the Minnesota penal code, third-degree murder involves “perpetrating an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved mind” but without the intent to cause death.
The three other officers involved were fired on Tuesday, but aren’t currently facing any more punishment. The investigation is still ongoing, according to Hennepin County Prosecutor Mike Freeman, who also said he anticipated charges for the other officers.
Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson tweeted #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd shortly after news of Chauvin’s arrest went public. Thompson also retweeted former president Barack Obama’s statement in which Obama shared a few conversations he had with friends after seeing the disturbing footage.
“This shouldn’t be ‘normal’ in 2020 America,” Obama wrote. “It can’t be ‘normal.’ If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its highest ideals, we can and must be better.”
Floyd’s death has led to outrage from numerous local and national figures. Former NBA player Stephen Jackson, a friend of Floyd, held a press conference in Minneapolis on Friday. Jackson called for justice while talking about being angry and hurt. Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns was also in attendance.
President Donald Trump, who has told officers in the past not to worry about injuring those they arrest, said that Floyd’s family is “entitled to justice, and the people of Minnesota are entitled to live in safety.”
However, hours earlier, Trump ignited an already-volatile situation, targeting protestors in Minneapolis with an angry tweet that condoned violence. Trump was responding to Thursday’s protest that led to looting and grew violent, with a police station being burned.
“These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen," he wrote. “Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!”
Twitter punished him for his tweet, calling it “glorifying violence."
The NBA is about 85 percent black and the Cavs’ roster is just as represented. Because of that, the organization felt a sense of responsibility to share its thoughts on a tragic event that hits home and is much bigger than basketball.
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