Marcus Smart’s FULL interview on Boston Floyd protests, team support

Boston Celtics veteran guard Marcus Smart shared his thoughts on the death of George Floyd and the nationwide protests that have spread since Sunday.

Boston Celtics veteran point guard Marcus Smart has joined teammates Jaylen Brown and Enes Kanter in protesting the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police this week.

The incident which sparked the nationwide protests saw one officer choke and kneel on the neck of George Floyd for nine minutes before he lost consciousness — later to be pronounced dead at a nearby hospital — while three other officers stood by and watched.

In response, local protests quickly spread around the country, often exploding into violence and looting as people expressed their outrage at any target they could find.

Boston’s Brown and Kanter drove for hours to protest in Atlanta and Boston respectively, the Cal-Berkeley product lending his massive social media platform to help direct a peaceful protest in Georgia while the Turkish big man helped energize Boston-area protesters.

Joined by teammate Vincent Poirier, Smart took to the streets himself on Sunday, and spoke with WBZ Boston’s Steve Burton about the protests and his participation.

“It’s amazing to see people come and unite for for a bigger cause than themselves” explained Smart, “and this is definitely a bigger cause than ourselves right now.”

When asked what message he’d like to get across with his participation, the Texan guard replied, “We want justice … and unfortunately, this is what we have to do to get it. And first, we want you to know that we won’t be silent. Enough is enough.”

“We’re tired of our loved ones, our brothers, our fathers, our sons being killed, for nonsense, for nothing at all. With no justice being served … it’s not about what you know, but what you can prove, and what we can prove is murder.

We’ve seen the video, everybody across the world has seen it. It’s nothing to justify — I don’t know, what can you say of that officer to justify the killing? Nothing at all. So there’s nothing to negotiate about. There’s nothing to be said.”

“He’s supposed to be just like one of us. If one of us was out there, and we committed this crime, we’d be charged for it. Justice isn’t served until we see him behind bars,” Smart finished.

When asked if he thought that if those officers had been arrested right away, they’d have still had such demonstrations, the Flower Mound native demurred.

“I can’t say. I can definitely tell you that it will be a start to something where I could tell you that if he [doesn’t] get convicted, that this won’t be the only protest and the next protest won’t be peaceful,” Smart remarked, “and I think we kind of see that right now. We’re on the brink of that.”

“So, I don’t think that if the officer would have got convicted early that this wouldn’t have stopped this,” he added.

“We still will be out protesting because there’s officers that sit there and watch so there are accessories for murder and like I said, justice isn’t certain until every last one of those guys get … charged with this.”

While there were definitely flashpoints of violence during demonstrations in the city, for the most part, Sunday’s protests were peaceful, and Smart shared his feelings on that dynamic compared to the chaos unfolding in some cities.

“You see everybody from different races, different color, different age groups, different eras coming out here for wanting to unite and stand for one, and this is what it’s about — this is what the world is supposed to be,” he began.

“We’ve got love out here. This is love. This is what it’s supposed to be; we’re supposed to love one another. But instead we have to come out here and do this. I love the way Boston is represented; Boston’s a second home and we [are] showing love.”

The protests spread quickly across the U.S. — almost immediately. WBZ’s Burton commented on how amazing it was that was, and the Celtics veteran agreed.

“It is, and it just shows you that together … we’re stronger than anything and how united we are and how pissed we are for this to happen as quick as it did. It shows the fight that everybody has, and and on the same thing as justice.”

For many — especially African Americans — the constantly-circulating images of police brutality that emerge when these incidents are actually caught on camera is always traumatic, and this time it was especially so for Smart.

“I wanted to cry, for the simple fact that that could have been me,” he began.

“That could have been my brother could have been my dad, could have been my uncle. And it’s just terrifying to see as African American male to come outside every day, because that lets me know … and everyone around us how terrified we are.”

“Because if that can happen to that random person, who am I to say that it can’t happen to me, with somebody I love? So, it was terrifying to watch,” he added.

Smart was happy with the local response and its general lack of looting and violence, though.

“Listen, I can’t tell people how to feel; you can’t tell the family how to feel … I’m just saying for these small business owners, especially black-owned business owners, the looting and everything, that’s not who you’re mad at. We’re mad at our president, [and] the police department.”

“We have people here from different races, different colors, different age groups, and we’re out here making a stand,” he offered.

Burton noted that as a professional athlete, people are looking up to Smart and his actions. “What better way to show the right thing to get out here and be on the front line myself?” asked the Oklahoma State product.

Smart plans to be out protesting as long as makes sense to him to do so; “there’s no designated time. I’m out here. I’m feeling the pain of the families of George Floyd and others who unfortunately have to go through this and everybody that’s with me. We’re here to support.”

Burton noticed a small crowd walking with Smart, including one familiar face. “I’ve got Vincent Poirier with me,” noted the guard, “Boston Celtics as well.”

Poirier gave a brief explanation of how he came to become involved.

“He said come with me, so I said, ‘For sure, man. I’ve got you,’ … I’m really happy to be here.”

Burton asked what the Celtics team stands for with regard to the protests, and Smart replied at length.

“It stands for equality, for everybody. And, I’m talking with the organization, they support us fully,” he explained.

“I know Jaylen Brown was in Atlanta and doing some things, and other Celtics [have too], and we have their full-hearted attention and 100% support. Me and Jaylen have had talks like this prior to this incident before — way before — and we always talked about doing something to try to help a change. And once I saw that, it was like we were already on the same page.”

“That’s why I love Jaylen — he’s always been that person and you’ve got to love what he stands for,” Smart finished.

Asked whether he was happy that Brown hasn’t yet gone back to practice, the team’s unofficial captain was entirely unconcerned.

“I am, but unfortunately right now, that’s not my main focus. My main focus is justice for George Floyd and his family.”

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