Colin Kaepernick Makes 'White Supremacist' Claim in Response to Breonna Taylor Decision
Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick called law enforcement a “white supremacist institution” and said police agencies should be abolished Wednesday just hours before two police officers were shot in Louisville, Kentucky.
The leftist activist and former San Francisco 49er was among many in the sports world who weighed in on Wednesday’s grand jury decision not to indict any police officers in the death of Breonna Taylor in March.
“The white supremacist institution of policing that stole Breonna Taylor’s life from us must be abolished for the safety and well being of our people,” Kaepernick wrote on Twitter.
He added the hashtag “AbolishThePolice.”
The white supremacist institution of policing that stole Breonna Taylor’s life from us must be abolished for the safety and well being of our people. #BreonnaTaylor #SayHerName #AbolishThePolice
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) September 23, 2020
The post was in response to a Louisville grand jury’s decision not to directly charge any of the officers who were on scene when Taylor was killed during the service of a warrant in her home March 13.
Three officers were attempting to serve a warrant at the residence of Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, when Walker shot and wounded an officer, which led police to respond by opening fire, NBC News reported.
Taylor was killed in the chaotic exchange of gunfire.
The grand jury, which was made up of people from the community, chose not to fault any of the three officers directly for Taylor’s death.
However, former Louisville Metropolitan Police Officer Brett Hankison was charged with three counts of wanton endangerment for allegedly firing his service weapon carelessly during the incident.
Kaepernick was not the only high-profile sports figure to comment on the grand jury decision.
NBA star LeBron James made a number of posts on Twitter in reference to Taylor, as did others:
my love to Breonna mother, family and
friends! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!! ??????????— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 24, 2020
The most DISRESPECTED person on earth is THE BLACK WOMAN! I promise you I’ll do my best to change this as much as I can and even more!! LOVE to you QUEENS all over this country and beyond! ??????❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 24, 2020
Slap on the wrist for MURDER, but 10 yrs for tearing down a punk ass statue!
— DeMarcus Cousins (@boogiecousins) September 23, 2020
My heart is with the family of Breonna Taylor right now. My god. This is devastating and unfortunately not surprising. Black and brown folx in this country deserve so much more. #BlackLivesMatter #JusticeforBreonnaTalyor #DefundPolice #RegisterToVote
— Megan Rapinoe (@mPinoe) September 23, 2020
Disappointed but not surprised. Discharging your gun into an apartment will get you charged, firing your weapon into Breonna Taylor and taking her life will not. It was a sham investigation from the jump. System is CORRUPT https://t.co/nmKLqbX3pF
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) September 24, 2020
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith also gave a prolonged speech on the sports network attacking the criminal justice system:
My closing remarks. pic.twitter.com/R5PHVpMNcP
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) September 24, 2020
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who is black, commented on the grand jury decision Wednesday.
“I understand that as a black man, how painful this is … which is why it was so incredibly important to make sure that we did everything we possibly could to uncover every fact,” Cameron told reporters in Frankfort, The Associated Press reported.
“If we simply act on emotion or outrage, there is no justice,” he said.
More than 100 people were arrested in Louisville and two police officers were shot during a riot in which fires were set and businesses were looted, the Louisville Courier Journal reported.
Protests broke out immediately following the announcement of the grand jury decision.
Kaepernick’s anti-police post came just hours before the tensions resulted in two officers being shot, apparently at random.
The former NFL player has a history of making anti-police and anti-American statements on social media.
Black ppl have been dehumanized, brutalized, criminalized + terrorized by America for centuries, & are expected to join your commemoration of “independence”, while you enslaved our ancestors. We reject your celebration of white supremacy & look forward to liberation for all. ✊? pic.twitter.com/YCD2SYlgv4
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) July 4, 2020
There is nothing new about American terrorist attacks against Black and Brown people for the expansion of American imperialism.
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) January 4, 2020
America has always sanctioned and besieged Black and Brown bodies both at home and abroad. America militarism is the weapon wielded by American imperialism, to enforce its policing and plundering of the non white world.
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) January 4, 2020
During a practice while playing for the 49ers in 2016, Kaepernick wore a pair of socks depicting police officers as pigs.
Colin Kaepernick wears socks of police officers depicted as pigs https://t.co/F5Hvt7lw5h pic.twitter.com/6jZe2BwgHL
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 1, 2016
Kaepernick, of course, initiated a movement in the league to kneel in protest during the national anthem during the 2016 season after he lost his starting job with the 49ers.
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” he told reporters at the time. “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
He has not played football professionally since, but the NFL is now embracing his politics.
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