Ahead of Game 1 of the 2017 WNBA Finals on Sunday, both the Minnesota Lynx and the visiting Los Angeles Sparks made visible displays of protest.
While the Lynx's players and coaches linked arms during the anthem, the Sparks left the court, returning from their locker room after "The Star-Spangled Banner" concluded.
The scene at Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. The Lynx link arms during the anthem, the Sparks stay in the locker room. pic.twitter.com/jckFULAvux
— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) September 24, 2017
WNBA players have been at the forefront of athlete protests in recent years. The Lynx wore warmup shirts emblazoned with the phrases "Change Starts with Us," "Justice and Accountability," and "Black Lives Matter" in honor of victims of police brutality during the 2016 season. While the decision to wear the shirts received blowback, initially including fines from the league and counter-protests from Minnesota-based police officers, the players later received the support of WNBA president Lisa Borders.
The demonstration also echoes similar displays Sunday from the NFL. Teams, players, and owners alike almost universally decried President Donald Trump's incendiary statements about athletes who protest racial inequality and police brutality during the national anthem.
