Protesters ask LeBron, Westbrook for help while blocking NBA buses
A group of protestors gathered outside the Orlando bubble Saturday night to get the attention of LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and other NBA stars.
Protestors - who were carrying signs and chanting messages like "Black Lives Matter" and "LeBron, can you help us?" into megaphones - briefly blocked chartered buses carrying members of the media and NBA staff from entering the Walt Disney World campus, Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press reports.
They’ve now let the bus come through. pic.twitter.com/3pnMvls0qK
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) September 13, 2020
The group was protesting the killing of Salaythis Melvin, a 22-year-old Black man who was fatally shot in the back by an Orange County sheriff's deputy in the parking lot of the Florida Mall last month.
Protesters looking for NBA support for the case of Salaythis Melvin, who was killed last month at Florida Mall in Orange County.
— Kyle Goon (@kylegoon) September 13, 2020
Background: https://t.co/ru7HgHCmKC pic.twitter.com/NQr6u7H6KO
James has been outspoken on police brutality and racial justice, admitting last month that he was ready to sit out the remainder of the season in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Westbrook has also used his platform to advocate for social justice, recently teaming up with the NBPA to create shirts for players featuring messages the league didn't permit on game jerseys.