As the country responds to the death of George Floyd, NBA players have spoken out on social media while others, like Indiana’s Malcolm Brogdon and Boston’s Jaylen Brown, have taken part in some of the peaceful protests.
Barclays Center was a rallying point for one of the many protests that have taken place across the nation. On Sunday, the arena, along with the Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty and the Long Island Nets, released a statement on the nationwide issue being protested:
We mourn the senseless and devastating loss of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others who lost their lives because of racial bias. Today, we stand up and speak up against all forms of racism — overt to subconscious — especially against the Black community.
We want to say, “Enough is Enough.”
Not all of us can ever be in a position to experience the personal pain, fear and despair of Black Americans in the list of the events. But out instinct tells us that the lack of respect for human life, fueled by prejudices, is simply wrong. All people, regardless of color, race or ethnicity, deserve to be treated with human dignity and be protected from violence.
Our hearts are broken by the attacks on the personal safety and dignity of the Black community. While we feel the raw emotion, we call for a peaceful response in our joint fight against racism. This is not the time to be vengeful. This is a time to effect change.
We don’t pretend to have all the solutions. The organizations represented by the undersigned are committed to using our voice and platform to facilitate empathy and dialogue, to help find answers, to heal the wound and pain.
We will continue to work alongside our community — our fans, players, employees and including local law enforcement — to raise awareness, push back on racial prejudice and bring about meaningful change.
