A day after a tweet from Las Vegas Raiders sparked a firestorm on social media, George Floyd’s brother Philonise stands in support of team owner Mark Davis.
As teams and leagues from different sports made statements about Derek Chauvin’s guilty verdict for Floyd’s murder on Tuesday, the Raiders tweeted:
The tweet immediately provoked widespread condemnation on social media. The unclear reporting seemed to refer to Floyd’s repeated pleas of “I Can’t Breathe” when Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes, resulting in his death.
“I can breathe” was a rallying cry to get rid of police brutality
“I Can Breathe” has also previously been used as a slogan to dismiss the concerns of protesters who called for action after the murder of Eric Garner by police. In 2014, New York police officer Daniel Pantaleo Garner put in a stranglehold in the moments leading up to his death. Like Floyd, Garner advocated “I can’t breathe,” while Pantaleo held on to the stranglehold.
Garner’s last words became a rallying cry from protesters calling for police reform and accountability after Garner’s death. Counter-protesters who dismissed these concerns came to a rally wearing hoodies emblazoned with “I Can Breathe” and shouted “cannot resist arrest” in an attempt to blame Garner for his own death.
Davis was unaware of the phrase’s history, ‘deeply disappointed’
Davis focused on the response to the tweet Tuesday night, telling reporters it was just his idea. He said he had meant the message strictly as an ode to Floyd’s brother Philonise Floyd, who said at a press conference on Tuesday, “Today we can breathe again.”
“If I have offended the family, then I am deeply, deeply disappointed”, Davis told Tashan Reed of The Athletic.
He also said he was not previously aware of the “I can breathe” messages surrounding Eric Garner’s death.
“Let me say this right away: I wasn’t aware of that,” Davis continued. ‘Absolutely not. I had no idea about that. That is a situation that I was not aware of. Based on that, I can see where there could be any negativity to what I said. ‘
Raiders did not delete the tweet
Davis declined to delete the tweet, telling the Associated Press that he wouldn’t because the statement was already out.
“It’s a tough situation,” said Davis. ‘I feel bad that it was taken in a way that it was not meant to be. That can only be my fault for not explaining it. “
George Floyd’s brother: ‘Deepest gratitude’ to Raiders
On Wednesday, Philonise Floyd released a statement supporting Davis and thanking him for his support, while calling for a united front in the fight for social and racial justice.
“On behalf of our family, I would like to express our deep gratitude to the Las Vegas Raiders Organization and its leadership for their support of our family and for our nation’s continued commitment to justice and equality for all. Now more than ever we need to come together as one and continue in this battle.
“For the first time in almost a year, our family has taken a breath. And I know that is the same for so many all over the nation and the world. Let’s take a breath together in honor of my big brother who couldn’t. Let’s do it for George. “
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