The Cleveland Browns’ Andrew Hawkins made a statement in player introductions today, wearing a shirt reading “JUSTICE FOR TAMIR RICE AND JOHN CRAWFORD III” t-shirt during player introductions. While this will undoubtedly ruffle some feathers and incur a fine from the NFL offices, it’s another instance of a player speaking out about something he believes in.
In case you don’t recall, Tamir Rice was the 12-year-old boy who was shot and killed by Cleveland police when they mistook his airsoft gun for a real one, and John Crawford III was shot and killed by police in an Ohio Walmart following a very similar misunderstanding. Much like the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases, the shootings have brought attention to the way white police treat black men and the seemingly disproportionate number of violent confrontations that occur.
[via Twitter]
