Seahawks Star, A Vocal Supporter Of Kaepernick, Claims He Was Profiled By Police
LAS VEGAS (CBS13) – A Seattle Seahawks star player claims he was racially profiled by police in Las Vegas.
Michael Bennett, in a Twitter post on Wednesday, detailed a harrowing incident he says happened to him on the day of the Mayweather-McGregor fight. The Seahawks defensive end says he was walking back to his hotel after the fight when he heard what he thought were gunshots.
Bennett says he was then stopped and singled out by Las Vegas police and ordered to the ground.
"[The officer] placed his gun near my head and warned me that if I moved he would 'blow my f******g head off,'" Bennett wrote.
Bennett says he believes he was singled out for "doing nothing more than simply being a black man in the wrong place at the wrong time."
The officers eventually let him go after confirming Bennett's identity and learning he was a famous football player.
Bennett has been one of the outspoken supporters of former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's national anthem protests.
Kaepernick, who remains unsigned with an NFL team this season, retweeted Bennett's story and commented "This violation that happened against my Brother Michael Bennett is disgusting and unjust. I stand with Michael and I stand with the people."
Bennett says this incident is further proof of why he supports the protests.
"I have always held a strong conviction that protesting or standing up for justice is just simply, the right thing to do. This fact is unequivocally, without question why before every game, I sit during the national anthem," Bennett wrote.
Las Vegas police have not commented yet on the alleged incident.