Boston Celtics, Miami Heat players walk off the court to protest ‘injustices in our society’

After a closed door meeting, the teams did decide to play.

With minutes to go before Wednesday night’s tip off, Miami Heat and Boston Celtics players walked off the court together in response to more stark reminders of the racial disparities that exist in America.

In the wake of Tuesday’s news that the officer who shot Jacob Blake seven times would not face charges, combined with the clear difference in police enforcement after mostly white Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday, players for both teams walked off the court and held a closed door, 45-minute players-only meeting.

Players returned for warm ups and both teams took a knee during the national anthem.

In a joint statement released by the Heat and Celtics, players urged the focus to be on “injustices in our society.”

“2021 is a new year, but some things have not changed. We play tonight’s game with a heavy heart after yesterday’s decision in Kenosha, and knowing that protesters in our nation’s capital are treated differently by political leaders depending on what side of certain issues they are on. The drastic difference between the way protesters this past spring and summer were treated and the encouragement given to today’s protestors who acted illegally just shows how much more work we have to do.

“We have decided to play tonight’s game to try to bring joy into people’s lives. But we must not forget the injustices in our society, and we will continue to use our voices and our platform to highlight these issues and do everything we can to work for a more equal and just America.”

The action comes just hours after armed supporters of President Trump stormed their way into the US Capitol and were met with little resistance as they took over the Congressional chambers. Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers also spoke about the racial disparity, asking people to consider what the response would be had the protesters been Black.