NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman Addresses Unrest Following George Floyd's Death
Around the United States, protests have taken place following the killing of unarmed black man George Floyd after since-fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes while arresting him Monday.
NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman spoke to TMZ Sports Sunday, hoping to see any destruction or theft during the protests come to an end.
"I think someone needs to come out and say, 'Hey, guys. Why are we looting? Why are we stealing? Why are we creating more issues?' This is a bad, bad situation—but [if you're going to protest], protest in the right way. You don't have to go and burn down things, steal things."
"We've got too many issues right now. This is a bad one right now, but we can all come together and try to help each other get through this situation," Rodman added. "Please, understand, we have to live together. We're human beings, we're not f--king animals. We're human beings."
Rodman's former teammate and Charlotte Hornets Chairman Michael Jordan also released a statement on the protests and urged "peaceful expression":
And many players and former players, coaches and organizations have spoken about the killing of Floyd and the culture of police brutality that disproportionately affects the black community:
Though property destruction in particular has a history as a tool of resistance, many people have noted that former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick protested such issues by kneeling during the playing of the national anthem. Not only has he not gotten a job in the league since those protests became a hotbed national issue, but many would also argue that people in positions of authority largely disregarded his message.
Chauvin was arrested and charged with one count of third-degree murder and one count of second-degree manslaughter. The other three officers at the scene—Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas K. Lane—were fired but have not had criminal charges pressed against them.
