Turning words into action is what’s going to change the way the African American community is treated in this country — notably by the police and other positions of power. The tragic death of George Floyd last week has set off what one can only hope is a wind of sweeping change in this country.
And Ohio State has been quick to embrace and embolden causes to move things forward. We’ve seen many players, coaches, and staff be active in voicing themselves on Twitter. We’ve also seen an incoming Ohio State basketball player, Seth Towns, get detained for participating in a peaceful protest. Even a white football player, C.J. Saunders, was arrested for violating a curfew put in place to deter some of the more violent protests we’ve seen.
And now this. Ohio State, as an athletic community came together on Tuesday night to stage an organized “Kneel for Nine” protest as a result of the George Floyd killing and racial inequality in this country. During these protests that have broken out over the world, protesters kneel for nine minutes to bring awareness to what has gone on in this country for far too long.
Several OSU players, coaches, staff, and members of the OSU police all participated, with football players Tuf Borland and C.J. Saunders leading some of the speaking.
You can watch a short clip of the protest thanks to a video shared by Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields on Twitter below.
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#KneelForNine ✊🏽🖤 pic.twitter.com/LvFjUPzIJX
— Justin Fields (@justnfields) June 3, 2020
It’s great to see the Ohio State community and the players themselves unify over an issue that has gone on for far too long. It’s just a short video, but well worth your time.
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