With protests continuing in cities throughout the United States, the Houston Rockets issued an organizational statement Sunday night expressing anger over the “senseless death” of George Floyd.
Sunday marked the sixth day of protests following the death of Floyd, a black man who died after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest last week in Minneapolis.
The list of cities with protest movements included Houston, where Floyd grew up and the city where his body will soon be laid to rest.
In a message posted to their social media accounts, the Rockets expressed sadness and anger over Floyd’s death before adding that they “condemn violence in all forms.” The complete statement reads:
We mourn for and are angered by the senseless death of George Floyd, a man raised in Houston’s Third Ward. Inexcusably, our black community continues to be subject to racism, bigotry, prejudice, and fear. This must end. All people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. We condemn violence in all forms. As an organization, we are committed to working with our players, coaches, employees, and community leaders to affect meaningful and lasting change.
The the team’s message concluded with this quote from the late Martin Luther King Jr.: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Rockets guard Austin Rivers, whose grandfather served 30 years in the Chicago Police Department, shared a personal statement on the matter.
The latest information on the protests is available at usatoday.com.
