An unprecedented shutdown of major sporting events spread across the US today as stars took a stance against racial inequality and police brutality in the wake of the shooting of a black man in Wisconsin.
Top-level tennis, basketball, baseball and football games were among those hit as organisers were forced to cancel or postpone them amid extraordinary player-led protests.
Two-time Grand Slam champion and former world No1 Naomi Osaka pulled out of her semi-final match at the Western & Southern Open in New York in solidarity with Black Lives Matter protesters.
In a statement, she said: “Before I am an athlete, I am a black woman. As a black woman, I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis. I don’t expect anything drastic to happen with me not playing but, if I can get a conversation started in a majority white sport, I consider that a step in the right direction.
“Watching the continued genocide of black people at the hands of the police is honestly making me sick to my stomach. I’m exhausted of having a new hashtag pop up every few days and I’m extremely tired of having this same conversation over and over again.”
Hours later the US Open warm-up event announced that it was “pausing” play for a day. “As a sport, tennis is collectively taking a stance against racial inequality and social injustice that once again has been thrust to the forefront in the United States,” organisers said in a statement.
The shutdown came as authorities in the Wisconsin city of Kenosha named the officer who shot at Jacob Blake seven times as he opened the door of his car with his three children seated inside on Sunday night.
The officer has been suspended pending an investigation into the shooting, which Mr Blake’s family say left him paralysed from the waist down. Wisconsin Justice Department said Rusten Sheskey was a seven-year veteran of the Kenosha Police Department.
The sports boycott spread when the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team —based 40 miles from where Mr Blake was shot — refused to take to the court for game five of their NBA play-off series against Orlando Magic.
In a joint players’ statement, they said: “Despite the overwhelming plea for change, there has been no action, so our focus today cannot be on basketball. When we take the court and represent Milwaukee and Wisconsin, we are expected to play at a high level, give maximum effort and hold each other accountable. In this moment, we are demanding the same of our lawmakers and law enforcement. We are calling for justice for Jacob Blake and demand the officers be held accountable.”
The NBA then postponed all three of last night’s basketball games. In addition, three Major League Baseball games were called off when the participating teams refused to play, while five Major League Soccer matches were also called off.
The postponements came on the fourth anniversary of former NFL quarter-back Colin Kaepernick’s first protest, sitting during the national anthem for a pre-season game before taking the knee at subsequent games.
Officer Sheskey is said to have shot Mr Blake while holding onto his shirt after colleagues first unsuccessfully used a Taser. Officials said a knife was later recovered from the driver’s side floorboard of the vehicle.
Watching the continued genocide of black people at the hands of the police is making me sick
Naomi Osaka
It came after a 17-year-old police fanatic was charged with homicide after two people were killed in gunfire on the third night of unrest in Kenosha.
Much of Kyle Rittenhouse’s Facebook page is devoted to praising law enforcement, with references to Blue Lives Matter, a movement that supports police. He also can be seen holding an assault rifle. Footage also emerged of him sitting near the stage at a Donald Trump rally.
Kenosha sheriff, David Beth, warned armed “militia” had been patrolling the streets. The White House said 1,000 National Guard were being deployed to try to quell the unrest.