Sports stars from all around the world have joined the #BlackoutTuesday movement to mark their solidarity with protests against the killing of George Floyd.
Protests have intensified over the killing of Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died as a white Minneapolis policeman kneeled on his neck for nearly 9 minutes. The officer has since been charged with murder.
West Indies cricket legend Chris Gayle, six-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and Paris Saint Germain striker Kylian Mbappe are just a few examples of high-profile sports figures who joined the #BlackoutTuesday movement by posting an empty black photo on their social media accounts.
#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/L9WiIIkU36
— Chris Gayle (@henrygayle) June 2, 2020
Lewis Hamilton went a step ahead and once again reminded everybody about how racism still exists in this day and age with hard-hitting post on Instagram. Hamilton was one of the first superstar athletes to speak up against racism after George Floyd’s death.
“This past week has been so dark. I have failed to keep hold of my emotions. I have felt so much anger, sadness and disbelief in what my eyes have seen. I am completely overcome with rage at the sight of such blatant disregard for the lives of our people. The injustice that we are seeing our brothers and sisters face all over the world time and time again is disgusting, and MUST stop.
“So many people seem surprised, but to us unfortunately, it is not surprising. Those of us who are black, brown or in between, see it everyday and should not have to feel as though we were born guilty, don’t belong, or fear for our lives based on the colour of our skin. Will Smith said it best, racism is not getting worse, it’s being filmed. Only now that the world is so well equipped with cameras has this issue been able to come to light in such a big way.
“It is only when there are riots and screams for justice that the powers that be cave in and do something, but by then it is far too late and not enough has been done. It took hundreds of thousands of peoples complaints and buildings to burn before officials reacted and decided to arrest Derek Chauvin for murder, and that is sad.
“Unfortunately, America is not the only place where racism lives and we continue to fail as humans when we cannot stand up for what is right. Please do not sit in silence, no matter the colour of your skin. Black Lives Matter,” Hamilton posted on Instagram.
As protests and unrest over the death of George Floyd continue around the United States, a movement was started by music execs Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang, who wrote on a site that Tuesday, June 2 would be a day to pause all business and take a stand against the “racism and inequality that exists from the boardroom to the boulevard.”
The movement would take the form of people posting all black pictures to Instagram and other social media platforms.
#TheShowMustBePaused pic.twitter.com/JHTUG34Ibj
— theshowmustbepaused (@pausetheshow) June 1, 2020
