USMNT's Weston McKennie wears 'Justice for George' Floyd armband during Bundesliga match
The protests in response to police killings of African Americans haven’t been limited to the United States.
On Saturday, U.S. men’s national team standout Weston McKennie paid tribute to George Floyd, the black man who was killed while in police custody in Minnesota earlier this week, the shocking video of which has sparked protests throughout the country and outrage around the world.
McKennie, who hails from Texas, weighed in during a German Bundesliga match Saturday by sporting a “Justice for George” armband on his left sleeve:
“Justice for George Floyd”
El mensaje que lleva en el brazo Weston McKennie 🇺🇸@Bundesliga_ES | #S04 | #S04SVW | #Bundesliga | #GeorgeFloyd | #McKennie pic.twitter.com/9womI8tOXC— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) May 30, 2020
The four officers involved in the incident that ended with Floyd’s death were fired, but none were charged until Friday when Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who kept his knee on the handcuffed Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes until he lost consciousness, was arrested for third-degree murder.
McKennie took to Twitter later to expand upon his feelings:
To be able to use my platform to bring attention to a problem that has been going on to long feels good!!! We have to stand up for what we believe in and I believe that it is time that we are heard! #justiceforgeorgefloyd #saynotoracism pic.twitter.com/TRB1AGm0Qx
— Weston McKennie (@WMckennie) May 30, 2020
McKennie is hardly the first athlete to express outrage at the incident and others like it. He’s not the first soccer player either.
Several members of the world champion U.S. women’s national team, including Alex Morgan, made their feelings known. “So sickened beyond words by the brutal police killing of George Floyd,” Morgan wrote. “When will all Americans be treated and respected equally regardless of race and gender??”
USMNT legend DaMarcus Beasley, an African-American and the only U.S. men’s player to appear in four World Cups, authored an impassioned post hours after the Floyd video went viral.
Prominent non-American soccer players also felt compelled to have their say. Like McKennie, Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, who helped his native France win the 2018 World Cup, demanded justice for Floyd on Saturday:
— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) May 30, 2020
Expect more to follow in the days ahead.
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