After the Los Angeles Lakers sent the Houston Rockets home from the NBA bubble in Game 5 of their playoff series, an NBA media bus is being blocked by Black Lives Matter protesters.
Apparently, the protesters are looking to LeBron James to take a stand against yet another police-involved shooting of a Black individual.
BREAKING: Protesters have blocked a NBA media bus on the Disney property, asking for help from LeBron James. Protesters are chanting Black Lives Matter.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) September 13, 2020
Protesters advocating for justice for 22-year-old Salaythis Melvin, who was fatally shot by an Orange County sheriff’s deputy last month, stood in front of our shuttle bus for 10 minutes or so before subsiding as we re-entered the bubble.
One sign: “LeBron. Stand With Us.” pic.twitter.com/eM38jdWOee
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) September 13, 2020
A protest in The Bubble blocking bus filled with league staff and media. Waiting on sheriff to arrive. pic.twitter.com/dqOK6UgVcu
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) September 13, 2020
Ever since the 2019-20 season resumed in Orlando, Fla., the NBA has been very aggressive in taking a stand against systemic racism.
James and other players have publicly asked for the arrest of the officers who killed Breonna Taylor while executing a no-knock search warrant at her residence.
Earlier in the playoffs, there was a league-wide boycott that was staged after the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in Kenosha, Wis. Players quickly agreed to return to work under the condition that team owners use their wealth and cache to effect change and help end institutional racism.
James has also done admirable work in other areas, such as establishing the More Than a Vote initiative that’s aimed at overcoming voter suppression.
