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NBA players have been known to influential figures in political movements. Just last season, the NBA had numerous players speak out on racial injustice and even playoff games were postponed due to these players making political statements.
Players spoke out on the events that played out on Wednesday when Donald Trump supporters stampeded the United States Capitol building in Washington D.C. Being known as one of the most outspoken players in the league, Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green had a strong statement in a message against the rioters.
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Draymond Green Rants
The outspoken 2017 Defensive Player of the Year shared his reactions to the Capitol protests after the 108-101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. What specifically bothered the star forward was the police response to the attack on the Capitol building.
In a press conference after the game, Green spoke out about the incident and did not think that they deserved to be called protesters. Because of their actions, which led to four deaths, Green had something to say to these protesters.
“It’s shameful to keep calling them protesters,” Green said, per the Warriors Twitter. “They’re not f—ing protesters. They’re f—ing terrorists.” Green said as he expressed his frustration about how law enforcement reacted to the protesters at the Capitol. He thinks that it’s a lot different from the treatment that Black Lives Matter protesters received over the summer.
“It’s baffling with the reaction that the law enforcement had and whoever else was involved from an authoritarian standpoint to see the National Guard standing on those same steps when there was a peaceful protest and now to see a terrorist attack and there was no National Guard,” Green said per the Warriors’ Twitter. “It just goes to show you where this country is and where this country has always been and probably where it’s going to stay, to be quite honest. Nothing’s changed. I think through social media and all of these different things we have at our fingertips today, we’re more aware of things. But nothing has changed.”
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In Comparison To What NBA Players Protested Last Year
These Capitol riots Green is referring to happened shortly after prosecutors in Kenosha, Wisconsin ruled to not charge officers associated with the fatal shooting of Jacob Blake. This event, which happened this past summer, led to NBA teams not playing games temporarily as a protest. In comparison, law enforcement didn’t react as harshly to Trump protestors as they did those of the Black Lives Matter movement.
“The policing system was built against Black people, Black and Brown people,” Green stated. “That’s the reason someone can walk or run or bust their way through into the Speaker of the House’s office and put their feet on the desk like they’re sitting at home on their couch and nothing happens. Stop calling those people protesters. They’re terrorists. They’re not protesters.”
Trump supporters rushed the Capitol building as a protest reacting to Joe Biden winning the presidential election. Congress confirmed Biden’s win Thursday morning, which means he will be officially sworn in as the 46th President of the United States on January 20th.
Green was only one of several notable names in the league to speak out about the events. Others included Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers and New Orleans Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy.
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