NAN and the Mother of Eric Garner Will Pay Fines for NY Liberty Players

 

At the National Action Network Saturday rally, Rev. Al Sharpton, with Gwen Carr at his side, made the following statement regarding the fines of New York Liberty players for supporting the victims of police brutality:

“These young ladies took it upon themselves to send a very simple message standing up against police brutality and racial bias. They just wore black shirts and for that they were each fined $500. LeBron James came to New York and wore an “I Can’t Breathe” shirt. Athletes joined with us and wore hoodies when we were fighting for justice for Trayvon Martin down in Florida. But for some reason they’re setting a different precedent for these women, these WNBA players, and they’re doing it on the same weekend we were remembering two years since the death of Eric Garner. National Action Network is announcing this morning that we will pay their fines, and if they take it out of their salaries we will reimburse these WNBA players. They have the right in the city where a man was choked to death, they have the right to dress in a t-shirt and they have the right to be concerned for the fans who come to see us them play. They didn’t offend anybody, they just wore something, and said, ‘I am concerned about my fans.’ Last month, the whole sports world supported Muhammad Ali for standing up to war, and a month later you fine young ladies for wearing t-shirts? Unacceptable. I may also decide to do a little marching and picketing as well.” 

Source: Mercury