The Las Vegas Raiders are facing backlash over a tweet following the Derek Chauvin trial verdict. The former police officer was convicted of second degree accidental murder, third degree murder and second degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.
Shortly after the verdict was read, the Raiders tweeted the words “I can breathe,” followed by the date. The post was immediately criticized, with many calling it insensitive. Floyd, 46, was heard saying “I can’t breathe” as Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes on May 25, 2020, eventually killing him.
The team’s owner, Mark Davis, took responsibility for the tweet, telling CBS partner KLAS that he was inspired by Floyd’s brother Philonise, who said something similar on Tuesday. “Now we can breathe again, because justice for George means freedom for everyone,” said Philonise.
Davis told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he would only apologize if he thought the Floyd family was offended. “I think justice is served,” Davis said. “It’s rare for me to make statements about anything and if I thought it offended the family (Floyd) I would feel really bad and apologize. Other than that, I don’t apologize. I believe (frankly) after I listened to Philonise. A day when we can all breathe. “
In a statement on Wednesday, Philonise expressed his family’s “greatest gratitude” to the Raiders organization for supporting his family and “striving for justice and equality for all.”
“Now, more than ever, we must come together as one and continue in this struggle. For the first time in nearly a year, our family has taken a deep breath. And I know this is true for so many all over the nation and the world, Let’s Breathing together in honor of my big brother who couldn’t. Let’s do it for George, “the statement said.
The phrase “I Can’t Breathe” was also used as a rallying cry in protests following Eric Garner’s death from a stranglehold administered by a New York City police officer in 2014. “I Can Breathe” was used as a slogan for pro-police demonstrations at the time.
In response to the Raiders’ tweet, in which LeBron James, former NBA player Jason Collins and others expressed their displeasure on Tuesday.
The NFL faced similar backlash on Tuesday after issuing a statement many considered tone-deaf because of the league’s treatment of players protesting police brutality.
Colin Kaepernick, who first led kneeling protests during the 2016 National Anthem to call attention to police brutality and racial injustice, remains unsigned despite a record for a Super Bowl appearance with the San Francisco 49ers. In a statement last year, Kaepernick called out the NFL for “blackballing” safety Eric Reid, who joined Kaepernick to protest police brutality but has yet to be signed by any team.