After protests, Robert Covington leads Nashville cleanup efforts

Covington played his college basketball at Tennessee State, and he took to downtown Nashville on Monday to help lead cleanup efforts.

Houston Rockets forward Robert Covington played his college basketball just outside Nashville at Tennessee State, and he worked Monday afternoon to help restore the city’s downtown after recent protests.

Protests have erupted in U.S. cities for the last seven days following the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest last week in Minneapolis. Further information is available at usatoday.com.

“I was just thinking of ways to make a change in the community, and this is a start,” Covington shared in an Instagram post promoting the cleanup event. “We’re all going to pull together and help make this happen.”

The organizing message shared by Covington reads: “All about love, peace, and unity. Tearing down where we live is not the way.”

Rockets teammate Austin Rivers has expressed a similar sentiment of showing support for the protests, so long as they do not turn violent.

[lawrence-related id=31717,31764]

The list of locations with protests also includes Houston, where Floyd grew up and the city where his body will soon be laid to rest. A march there with Floyd’s family is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

Covington is away from Houston at the moment, because the 2019-20 NBA season remains suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 29-year-old was acquired by the Rockets at the February trade deadline and is widely viewed as one of the team’s best defensive players, along with being a capable 3-point shooter at 35.8% for his career.

[lawrence-related id=31731]