New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart protested ICE during player intros before her Unrivaled game with Mist on Sunday.
Stewart, a co-founder of Unrivaled, held up a sign that read “Abolish ICE” after federal immigration officers shot and killed a man in Minneapolis on Saturday.
“Really all day yesterday, I was just disgusted from everything that you see on Instagram and in the news,” Stewart said when asked about making a statement. “Everyone here [at Unrivaled] is feeling that way, one way or another.
“We’re so fueled by hate right now instead of love, so I wanted to have a simple message of ‘Abolish ICE,’ which means having policies to uplift families and communities instead of fueling fear and violence.”
The Minnesota Timberwolves postponed their matchup against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night, a choice that was made to “prioritize the safety and security of the Minneapolis community.” The shooting occurred just a few miles away from Target Center.
On Sunday, the Timberwolves, Lynx, Vikings, Wild, Twins and Minnesota United F.C. signed an open letter “calling for an immediate deescalation of tensions and for state, local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions,” in light of the events.
The NBA Players Association also released a statement Sunday, saying that “players can no longer remain silent” and “must defend the right to freedom of speech and stand in solidarity with the people in Minnesota protesting and risking their lives to demand justice.”
