The grand jury decisions not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown and Officer Daniel Pantaleo for the death of Eric Gardner has many citizens, including professional athletes, exercising their first amendment right by assembling and voicing their opinions.
Police shootings are increasingly receiving media attention. For the most part these assemblies have been held and voices have been heard without repercussion — however that was not the case for five St. Louis Ram’s players and one Cleveland Browns player.
Before their football game against the Oakland Raiders, Rams players Stedman Bailey, Tavon Austin, Jared Cook, Chris Givens, and Kenny Brit all rose their hands in support of the Michael Brown, “ Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” movement. Many saw this simple gesture, as an insult to law enforcement everywhere. The St. Louis police department group demanded an apology from not only the team but from the NFL as well. They also believe that the players should be disciplined. The controversy though, surrounds whether the players acted wrongly or were merely demonstrating their support of the belief that Darren Wilson should be charged for killing unarmed Michael Brown.
Similarly, during warm ups before his football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Browns player Andrew Hawkins wore a shirt over his jersey reading, “Justice for Tamir Rice and John Crawford.” Rice and Crawford were both killed by officers of the Ohio police department for carrying toy guns that were mistaken for real ones. Hawkins, a father, told USA Today that “the No. 1 reason for me wearing the T-shirt was the thought of what happened to Tamir Rice happening to my little Austin scares the living hell out of me.”
However, Cleveland police took great offense to the gesture and demanded an apology both from Hawkins and the Browns organization. Cleveland police patrolmen’s union president Jeff Follmer released a statement to a local ABC news affiliate saying, “It’s pretty pathetic when athletes think they know the law.”
Clearly offended, Hawkins replied back to Follmer’s statement with an explanation as to why he did that. He told USA Today that he feels America is about equality, “I was taught that justice is a right that every American should have. Also that justice should be the goal of every American. That’s what I think makes this country special,” Hawkins said.
In opposition of Eric Garner’s death and in support of recent protests, many other athletes such as Lebron James and Derrick Rose wore shirts reading, “I can’t breath.”
Senior Joya Grillo said she believes, “It is very admirable and brave that they are expressing their opinion on a topic as controversial as these police shootings. Athletes are usually seen just performing, but it’s good that the public can look at these athletes as more than just athletes but as advocates for their beliefs. It is evident that not only civilians, but celebrities as well, believe that these events are acts of injustice”
While officers believe the players voicing their opinions should be dealt with accordingly, both the NBA and NFL said that they will not punish athletes for expressing their beliefs.