WATCH: Seth Towns speaks out on racial inequality after being detained by Columbus police in wake of George Floyd protest

In the wake of being detained, Ohio State basketball’s Seth Towns released a statement speaking out on the racial divide in this country.

Incoming Ohio State basketball graduate transfer Seth Towns had an awfully eventful last 24 hours. He graduated virtually from Harvard, then went straight to a peaceful protest that was held because of the needless and senseless death of George Floyd.

There — in downtown Columbus — he was detained by the police for reportedly not moving when asked to do so. He was not charged with a crime and was not arrested.

Towns took to Twitter Saturday with a message in response to the divide in this country and what he experienced Friday night. We’ve got the video he shared, but underneath that video is the complete transcript as well.

This should make you proud to have such a young man on the OSU basketball team.

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“My name is Seth Towns. In a span of just 24 hours, I walked from a virtual Harvard graduation stagento the back of a police van — both of which, I am equally proud of,” said Towns. “I, with so many others, met in downtown Columbus, Ohio to peacefully protest the murder of George Floyd, and the long list of others who are failed by this country to fight for justice at the face of inequity, and to express our pain. True voice is not found in words spoken but in steps taken. These hurtful times call for us to come together and unite our voices to be true and fearless in our expression of compassion, and take steps to create the change we seek — the change we need. The world needs to know that we are hurting. To those that are silent, speak up, use your voice. For one that fails to act on his truth is no one at all. And for those that are (speaking up), keep going. I’m right there with you.”

Such a mature young man. If basketball doesn’t work out we might be seeing Towns as an important figure in the fight against racial equality somewhere down the line.

 

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