The Las Vegas Raiders are facing a backlash over a tweet following trial verdict Derek Chauvin. The former police officer was convicted of second-degree manslaughter, third-degree murder and second-degree murder on the death of George Floyd.
Shortly after reading the verdict, the Raiders tweeted the words “I can breathe,” followed by the date. The team’s owner, Mark Davis, took responsibility for the origins of the tweet, according to KLAS, a subsidiary of CBS Las Vegas.
Davis said he was inspired by Floyd’s brother, Philonise, who said something similar on Tuesday. “Today we can breathe again because justice for George means freedom for all,” Philonise said.
The tweet faced a quick reaction, with Lebron James and others expressing their displeasure.
Many thought the words “I can breathe” were insensitive. Floyd, 46, was heard saying “I can’t breathe” as Chauvin knelt on his neck on May 25, 2020 for more than nine minutes, and finally killed him.
“I can’t breathe” was also used as a protest cry during the protests following The death of Eric Garner of an asphyxiation administered by a police officer in New York City in 2014. “I can breathe” was used as a slogan for pro-police demonstrations at the time.
In an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Davis said he would only apologize if he offended Floyd’s family. “It’s weird that he makes statements about anything,” Davis told the newspaper, “and if I thought it offended the family, I would feel really bad and apologize. Other than that, I don’t apologize. I honestly think, after listen Philonise, this is a day we can all breathe. ”
The National Football League faced a similar reaction on Tuesday after publishing a statement that many considered deaf after Chauvin’s verdict over the league’s treatment of players who have protested police violence in the past.
Colin Kaepernick, who first led the kneeling protests during the national anthem in 2016 to draw attention to police brutality and racial injustice, remains unsigned despite a history that included a Super Bowl appearance with the San Francisco 49ers. In a statement last year, Kaepernick called on the NFL for “negative” security Eric Reid, who joined Kaepernick to protest police violence, but has yet to be signed by any team.