Las Vegas raiders are facing adverse reactions to a tweet following the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial. The former police officer was convicted of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree murder in George Floyd’s death.
Shortly after the verdict was read, the Raiders posted on Twitter the words “I can breathe”, followed by the date. The team’s owner, Mark Davis, took responsibility for the origins of the tweet, reports KLAS, affiliated with CBS Las Vegas.
Davis said he was inspired by Floyd’s brother, Philonise, who said something similar on Tuesday. “Today we are able to breathe again, because justice for George means freedom for all,” Philonise said.
The tweet faced a quick reaction, Lebron James and others expressed their dissatisfaction.
Many felt that the words “can breathe” were insensitive. Floyd, 46, was heard saying “I can’t breathe,” while Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes on May 25, 2020, eventually killing him.
“I can’t breathe” was also used as a rallying cry during the protests Eric Garner’s death from a suffocation administered by a police officer in New York in 2014. “I can breathe” was used as a slogan for pro-police demonstrations at the time.
In an interview with Las Vegas magazine, Davis said he would apologize only if he offended Floyd’s family. “It’s rare that I make statements about something,” Davis told the newspaper, “and if I thought he offended my family, I would feel very sorry and apologize. Besides, I don’t apologize. “After listening to Philonise, this is a day we can all breathe.”
The National Football League faced similar reactions on Tuesday, after issuing a statement that many consider deaf to the Chauvin verdict over the league’s treatment of players who have protested police violence in the past.
Colin Kaepernick, who first led knee-deep protests during the 2016 national anthem to draw attention to police brutality and racial injustice, remains unsigned despite a record that included a Super Bowl appearance with the San Francisco 49ers. One statement last year, Kaepernick called the NFL for the safety of “denial” Eric Reid, who joined Kaepernick to protest police violence, but has not yet been signed by any team.