BOSTON — The Red Sox and Blue Jays game that was scheduled for Thursday evening in Buffalo has been postponed as players join other athletes in using their platforms to call for justice for Jacob Blake and other victims of police brutality and racial discrimination.
Jacob Blake, an unarmed Black man, was shot in the back seven times by Kenosha, Wisconsin police officers. Blake had called the same police officers to the scene for reports of a fight he had been trying to break up, but instead became a victim. He was hospitalized for his injuries and survived the shooting, but is now reportedly paralyzed as a result.
George Floyd, another Black man who suffered under police custody, wasn’t so lucky. Floyd died after former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nine minutes, effectively depriving him of oxygen and killing him. Breonna Taylor, a young, Black EMT, was shot in her sleep after police invaded her apartment in the middle of the night without a warrant. Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old massage therapist in Aurora, Colorado was killed in police custody after someone reported a “suspicious person” in a ski mask walking down the street. They were all unarmed.
The list of Black people killed in police custody or who died as a result of police brutality is extensive and unfortunately has continued to grow despite the coronavirus pandemic. The Black Lives Matter movement has been amplifying their voices on social media and through thousands of nationwide protests to call for justice for those killed or harmed unjustly.
In a monumental week in professional sports, athletes across the country are using their immense platforms to shine a bright spotlight on the issue of racial injustice in America. Blake’s story has re-fueled an ongoing social movement calling for justice for people of color discriminated against by law enforcement, the end of police brutality, changes to the judicial system and more.
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On Wednesday, the NBA and the NBAPA announced all playoff games would be pushed back after the Milwaukee Bucks’ decision to boycott Game 5 of their first-round matchup with the Orlando Magic.
The Boston Celtics were set to begin the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday evening, but that game was also postponed.
The Red Sox already knew Jackie Bradley Jr., the only Black player in the team, had chosen to boycott Thursday night’s game, but later in the day the team announced they would be postponing the game entirely.
The NHL has also decided to postpone its slate of games for Thursday night after a push from the player’s association to do so, which is expected to carry through Friday, a move which would affect the Bruins Game 4.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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