Cleveland Police Union Demands Apology After Browns Player Protest | The Source

Cleveland Police Union Demands Apology After Browns Player Protest | The Source:

justtrynakeepup:

Professional athletes have been very vocal in expressing their displeasure with police conduct as of late, along with the rest of the nation. Yesterday, two of Ohio’s NFL teams and division rivals the Cleveland Browns faced off against the Cincinnati Bengals, but prior to kickoff, all eyes were on Browns wide receiver Andrew Hawkins.

The wide out approached the field sporting a t-shirt over his jersey that read “Justice for Tamir Rice – John Crawford” on the front and “The Real Battle of Ohio” on the back.

Tamir Rice is the 12-year-old Cleveland boy who was shot dead by police in November after he was seen playing with a toy gun in a local park. His death was ruled a homicide by the coroner.

Similarly, 22-year-old John Crawford was shot and killed by police inside a Beavercreek, Ohio Wal-Mart this past August after he picked an air gun which was sold at the store. Though some might have appreciated Hawkins gesture, the President of the Cleveland police union, Jeff Follmer, took offense and demanded an apology from the Browns organization.

Watched this guy tonight on “All in with Chris Hayes” and he was unbelievably tone deaf and unsympathetic about dead black people at the hands of police. And apparently, athletes should stick to running and jumping and not their First Amendment right to say what they feel.

Jeff Folmer: “It’s pretty pathetic when athletes think they know the law, “They should stick to what they know best on the field. The Cleveland Police protect and serve the Browns stadium, and the Browns organization owes us an apology.”

So because the Cleveland Police do their jobs that we, the taxpayer, pay them to do, athletes should shut the hell up.

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