Heat statement after South Florida protests: ‘Our hearts are broken. But our resolve is not’
A day after Udonis Haslem spoke Sunday afternoon at a press conference held by the City of Miami Police Department to try to help unite the community, the Miami Heat issued a statement following a weekend of protests around South Florida and days of unrest around the United States in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.
“One of the characteristics that makes the city of Miami so unique is its immense cultural diversity,” the Heat said in a statement issued Monday. “This diversity is a celebrated part of South Florida, both inside and out of AmericanAirlines Arena. It is one of the reasons we deeply mourn the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and too many others, whom we have lost to acts of extreme and excessive violence against African-Americans; acts that have unfortunately become all too commonplace.
“The Miami Heat sends their deepest condolences to the Floyd, Taylor and Arbery families. Our hearts are broken. But our resolve is not. We urge everyone to responsibly let their voices be heard and encourage our community to come together.”
Floyd, an unarmed and handcuffed black man, died on May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer drove a knee into Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes while he was face down on the ground.
The weekend included two days of mostly peaceful protests around South Florida that featured moments of violent confrontations between police and demonstrators. During Saturday night protests in Miami, police used tear gas and rubber bullets on marchers, and at least one police car was burned and dozens were arrested.
“There definitely has to be justice for George,” Haslem said as part of a four-minute speech at Sunday afternoon’s press conference. “There definitely has to be protests for what happened to George. But I would be lying if I said that it has been gone about the right way. I would be lying if I said that I’m proud of what really has been going on.
“I want to be a part of the solution. We have to have a plan moving forward, it has to be together. ... I say to everybody, those people were terrible people before they put that badge on. They were terrible people before they put that badge on. For you to stand there and watch that, that ain’t got nothing to do with your badge, that has nothing to do with your color, that has nothing to do with your race. That’s something inside you that’s messed up. That’s your soul that ain’t right. So if you can stand there and watch that, I can’t say we can blame the whole armed forces and everybody who wears a badge. Ain’t no way.”
On Monday morning, the National Basketball Coaches Association issued a statement that was co-signed by Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and assistants Dan Craig, Chris Quinn, Malik Allen and Octavio De La Grana that read:
“Our heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to the family of George Floyd.
“As NBA coaches — both head and assistant coaches — we lead groups of men, most of whom are African American, and we see, hear and share their feelings of disgust, frustration, helplessness and anger.
“The events of the past few weeks – police brutality, racial profiling and the weaponization of racism are shameful, inhumane and intolerable.
“As a diverse group of leaders, we have a responsibility to stand up and speak out for those who don’t have a voice – and to stand up and speak out for those who don’t feel it is safe to do so.
“Witnessing the murder of George Floyd in cold blood and in broad daylight has traumatized our nation, but the reality is that African Americans are targeted and victimized on a daily basis. As NBA coaches, we cannot treat this as an isolated incident of outrage.
“We are committed to working in our NBA cities with local leaders, officials and law enforcement agencies to create positive change in our communities. We have the power and platform to affect change, and we will use it.”
Heat rookie Tyler Herro tweeted Monday: “Change is needed! I stand with people of color and support that everyone needs to be viewed the same. America is a melting pot and if we are all created equally then we should be treated equally as well. Silence is a form of acceptance and I will not stay silent for injustice.”
And Heat center Meyers Leonard also made his voice heard through social media, tweeting Sunday: “I was raised to love everyone. No matter the color of their skin. What’s going on in America right now is sad and in some cases, makes me angry. But how can I actually be upset? African Americans are racially profiled and judged continually in this country. I’ve witnessed it first hand. I’ve been in the competitive basketball space for over a decade and have been blessed to be around and learn about African American culture. I can’t claim to fully understand what some of my colleagues, their families, and others are experiencing ...
“But I do know one thing. I know right from wrong. The hatred has got to stop. The murders have got to stop. These men and women of color should not be afraid to leave their homes, and should be able to live their lives knowing they have the same opportunities. It’s taken me until this point to actually use my voice and to stand up for what’s right. I’ve always wanted to, but never had the courage. The time is now. It’s been days since George Floyd, it’s been over a month since Ahmaud Arbery, it’s been over a year since Russell Westbrook was attacked by a fan and it’s been TOO DAMN LONG that African Americans have been treated this way.
“Lastly — I’m fully aware that there are police officers, government officials and other people in power who are incredible human beings. I’m stating this here and now — My wife and I are going to help however we can. We will use or voices, we will continue to educate ourselves and we will do what’s RIGHT.”
This story was originally published June 1, 2020 at 11:36 AM.
