'We need you to speak up, we need you to say something...' UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya joined a growing group of prominent athletes condemning the killing of George Floyd.
The 30-year-old Nigeria-born Adesanya, who has lived in New Zealand since he was 10, addressed a crowd of almost 4,000 at a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest Monday in downtown Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. Similar rallies took place in other New Zealand cities, including a torch light vigil in pouring rain outside parliament in the capital, Wellington.
“We need you to speak up, we need you to say something because … I’m sick and tired of seeing those faces get killed because guess what? I see myself in them the whole time and it’s heartbreaking.” Thousands of people in the United States and around the world have taken to the streets to express outrage over Floyd’s May 25 death and other killings of black people, particularly by police. Floyd, who was handcuffed and saying he couldn’t breathe, died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck.
Adesanya won the UFC world middleweight title at UFC 245 in October last year and defended his title for the first time in March.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
UFC president Dana White says Jon Jones will determine his own future - Sportsnet.caUFC president Dana White says it’s up to light-heavyweight champion Jon (Bones) Jones whether he wants to walk away from the sport.
Read more »
Jon Jones tweets he's giving up UFC title in pay disputeJon “Bones” Jones tweeted Sunday that he's giving up his UFC title in a pay dispute.
Read more »
Upset at his pay, Jon Jones says he is giving up UFC light heavyweight title - Sportsnet.caUFC light-heavyweight champion Jon (Bones) Jones, embroiled in a pay dispute with the UFC, told his 2.3 million Twitter followers Sunday that he is giving up his title.
Read more »
How two CFLers turned Constables react to death of George Floyd, protests - Sportsnet.caFormer CFL players Arjei Franklin and Shawn Gallant both became Constables after hanging up their cleats. Now, they're both struggling with the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd. (By ArashMadani)
Read more »