Former NFL receiver Brandon Marshall, who spent three seasons with the Chicago Bears, was recently involved in an incident with security guards and local police as he was moving into his new Florida home. Marshall shared the video on his social media platforms as the country reaches a breaking point following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha last week.
Marshall, who played with the Bears from 2012-14, had the police called on him by local security as he began to move into a new home in Florida. Marshall claims his name wasn’t given to security and they decided to call the police. In the video, the former Bears receiver explains why he feels this is an issue given the current climate with police officers and African Americans.
“This is the problem!” Marshall says in the video to the security guard. “This is the problem. I come here, you feel uncomfortable. My first day moving into my new house. Because my name’s not on the list, you call the cops. Now you call the cops. No, you’re not trying to do your job. There was no threat for you to call the cops. This is what we’re seeing every single day. I got two kids in the car right now. We’re in Weston, Florida, one of the most affluent areas. Yes, I know there’s other black people in the area, I know that.”
Following the incident, former Bears linebacker Lance Briggs showed support for his former teammate on Twitter.
So what's the justification for this overreaction and attempt to weaponize police against another black person that doesn't fit a "societal profile" of residents in affluent neighborhoods? I stand with my former teammate, @BMarshall! https://t.co/W5S94GXtI9
— Lance Briggs (@LanceBriggs) August 28, 2020
During his illustrious NFL career that began in 2006 with the Denver Broncos, Marshall has had a few run-ins with the law. He was arrested multiple times during the mid-2000s on suspicion of domestic violence and driving under the influence in separate incidents and again in 2009 for disorderly conduct. Marshall was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) in 2011. Since then, he’s worked to raise awareness to BPD and mental health by partnering with various organizations and celebrities over the last few years.
The incident involving Marshall also comes just a few days after his former teammate linebacker Brian Urlacher criticized the protests and offered support for Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year old who was arrested for opening fire on protesters in Kenosha, killing two individuals.
It is still unclear if there were any ramifications following Marshall’s situation, but it’s another reminder why many people in this country feel the need for change when it comes to the dynamic between the police and African Americans.
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