Colin Kaepernick offers to pay for lawyers for Minneapolis protesters
Colin Kaepernick made his first public comment on the death of George Floyd on Thursday, and on Friday he followed up with action.
The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, who was essentially driven from the NFL for protesting deaths just like Floyd’s, tweeted Friday that he has started a legal defense fund to help people who have been arrested for protesting in Minneapolis. According to the Wall Street Journal, Kaepernick is willing to hire top defense lawyers to defend them.
In fighting for liberation there‘s always retaliation. We must protect our Freedom Fighters. We started a legal defense initiative to give legal representation to Freedom Fighters in Minneapolis paid for by @yourrightscamp
For representation or to donate https://t.co/q0pzAObCiG— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) May 29, 2020
The fund is being run through Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp, which Kaepernick founded to teach minority kids around the country about current issues, and to help them understand their rights — especially during encounters with police officers. The organization has run several successful camps in New York, Atlanta, Chicago, New Orleans, Oakland, and other cities.
Since Floyd’s death in police custody on Monday, which came after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin put his knee on Floyd’s neck for seven minutes while he yelled, “I can’t breathe,” there have been riots and unrest in Minneapolis, which have led to arrests. A CNN journalist was arrested live on the air while covering the protests on Thursday night.
Chauvin and three other officers were fired for their actions Tuesday, and Chauvin was arrested and charged on Friday with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
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