Former Sunderland defender Nedum Onuoha claims he fears for his life in the USA in the wake of George Floyd's death.
The 46-year-old African American died last week after a police officer held him down by pressing a knee into his neck, provoking riots in many US cities and demonstrations across the world.
Onuoha, who plays for Real Salt Lake, has backed the widespread protests across 75 US cities, the Mirror reports.
He said: “If police read me wrong, they could take my life. I never go out and feel 100% safe.
“I’m always very wary of how I behave and how it could be viewed by people who have power.
“For me personally, overall I don’t like to say it, but I have a fear and distrust towards police.”
Onuoha added that the gun laws in the USA added to his sense of unease.
He said: “I have loved living in this country but there is another side to it.
“In the UK, I am more comfortable because if something happens it probably will not be deadly - but over here because of their rights it is more common that altercations become deadly.
“I’m comfortable but when it comes to any kind of brutality, if it’s from the police, if they read me the wrong way then my life could be taken. It is not just me but everybody else as well.”
He added: “It is emotional - it is something that is overdue to be honest.
"There has been a big wave of energy towards this, there has been a lot of talk about George Floyd - these issues have been around for decades.
“The change will come but within that, there are so many nuanced things within the protest - for example, a lot of black people are scared to do what some of the white people are doing to the police.
“It’s crazy to see but it is very necessary. I am not going to say to them that they shouldn’t do anything because they haven’t been heard for this long so let them be heard now.”
