Police Officers Leave Lynx Game After Players Wear 'Black Lives Matter' Shirts

A group of Minneapolis police officers opted against providing security during the WNBA game between the Minnesota Lynx and the Dallas Wings on Saturday night after players on the home team spoke out about racial profiling and wore shirts supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. 

Randy Furst of the Star Tribune reported four off-duty officers left Target Center after hearing the pregame press conference and seeing the team's warm-up gear, which included the phrase: "Change starts with us, justice and accountability." The shirt also featured the names of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, as well as the Dallas Police Department emblem.

Minneapolis Police Federation President Lt. Bob Kroll confirmed the officers' decision and commended them for walking away from the job. He told the Star Tribune more members of the force may also choose not to sign up for the assignment moving forward.

"Others said they heard about it and they were not going to work Lynx games," Kroll said.

He added: "If [the players] are going to keep their stance, all officers may refuse to work there."

The report noted Lynx forward Rebekkah Brunson explained they were "wearing shirts to honor and mourn the loss of precious American citizens and to plead change for all of us." The players also denounced the recent attack on Dallas police.

According to the Associated Press, the team did not wear the shirts ahead of Tuesday's game in San Antonio, per ESPN.

Maya Moore, one of the league's biggest stars, said: "We are highlighting a longtime problem of racial profiling," according to the Star Tribune.

News of the police walkout in Minnesota comes after the latest round of nationwide protests sparked by the deaths of Castile, whose shooting happened in Minnesota, and Sterling.

A peaceful protest in Dallas turned chaotic when gunfire erupted last Thursday. An ambush on Dallas police, which investigators stated was carried out by military veteran Micah Xavier Johnson, left five officers dead.

While Kroll told the Star Tribune he stood by the officers' decision to leave the job in Minnesota, he noted Target Center has private security, so the arena wasn't left abandoned.