Celtics' Jaylen Brown Travels To Atlanta To Lead Peaceful George Floyd March
BOSTON (CBS) – Boston Celtics player Jaylen Brown drove from Boston to his hometown of Atlanta to lead a peaceful protest march on Saturday in response to the death of George Floyd, which has sparked nationwide unrest.
Brown said in a video posted on social media that "Being a bystander is no longer acceptable." He then tweeted that he would be peacefully protesting, and asked others to join him in Atlanta.
In an Instagram Live video from the march, Brown said he felt obligated to get his message out.
"It's a peaceful protest. Being a celebrity, being an NBA player don't exclude me from no conversation at all," Brown said on Instagram Live while marching. "First and foremost, I'm a black man and I'm a member of this community, and I grew up on this soil. I want to say that first and foremost. It's a peaceful protest. We're walking. That's it."
Brown posted a photo of himself holding a sign that said "I can't breathe." Those were the words Floyd could be heard saying while pinned to the ground by Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin, who was charged with third degree murder and manslaughter.
"We're raising awareness for some of the injustices that we've been seeing. It's not OK. As a young person, you've got to listen to our perspective. Our voices need to be heard," said Brown during the march. "I'm 23 years old. I don't know all the answers. But I feel how everybody else is feeling. For sure. No question."
Brown said following the protest that three people were arrested.
It is not clear what led to the arrests.
