Big Ten Announces Creation of Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Coalition

Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren announced Monday the conference's creation of an anti-hate and anti-racism coalition:

"I have made the decision to create the Big Ten Conference Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Coalition and invite student-athletes, coaches, athletic directors, chancellors, presidents and others to join me," Warren stated. "... It is critical that our student-athletes possess their rights to free speech, their rights to peaceful protest and we will work to empower them in creating meaningful change."

Warren also announced he and his wife, Greta, will donate $100,000 through the Warren Family Foundation to the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

The decision came one week after George Floyd, a black man, was killed. Warren referenced Floyd in the statement, writing "George Floyd's death cannot be in vain."

Derek Chauvin—an officer with the Minneapolis Police Department who has since been fired—was seen pressing his knee into Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes. Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, per Steve Almasy, Dakin Andone, Faith Karimi and Sara Sidner of CNN.