New York Knicks owner James Dolan broke his silence on the death of George Floyd, the Minneapolis man who died in police custody May 25 after an officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes in a moment caught on cellphone video.
On Tuesday, Dolan, the owner of the Knicks and New York Rangers, wrote a message on Twitter on behalf of the organizations. It was also posted on the Madison Square Garden account.
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“Every one of us has a role to play in creating a more just and equal society, where there is no racism, bigotry, violence or hate. We stand with all who act for positive change.”
Dolan had a history of hiring black front-office executives and coaches, but he was receiving backlash because the Knicks were the only NBA team not to have released a statement about Floyd’s death and the ongoing nationwide protests.
Last week, ESPN reported that some players and employees were “furious” and Dolan sent an internal email saying that a public statement on police brutality would be overstepping his place. He then wrote a second office email, saying “We vehemently condemn and reject racism against anyone, period” and the Knicks’ Instagram account supported Blackout Tuesday. But it wasn’t enough.
Since the public statement was released on Tuesday, basketball fans across the world ripped the Knicks owner for how long it took to happen.
Here are some of the reactions: