Correction officers union up in arms after Colin Kaepernick visits Rikers Island prison
The former NFL star visited the facility 'to share a message of hope and inspiration'
The former NFL star visited the facility 'to share a message of hope and inspiration'
Colin Kaepernick made a surprise visit to Rikers Island, and it has the correction officers union up in arms.
“This will only encourage inmates to continue to attack Correction Officers at a time when we need more protection,” said Elias Husamudeen, president of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association, after Kaepernick’s visit. The union also pulled its support of the tree-lighting ceremony.
In particular, the union pointed to socks that Kaepernick wore in September 2016 in which police officers were depicted as cartoon pigs.
“Once again, correction officers find themselves caught in Mayor de Blasio’s political con-game,” Husamudeen said. “This is yet another brazen display of the hypocrisy of this mayor who pretends to support us in public, yet does everything possible to jeopardize our security in private.”
Kaepernick, who is most famous for taking a knee during the national anthem in protest of racial inequality and police brutality, has long been an activist for criminal justice reform, something that the inmates were thrilled about when he came to visit.
The former NFL star reportedly visited the Rikers facility “to share a message of hope and inspiration.”
Glenn Martin, founder of JustLeadershipUSA, which advocates for Riker’s Island to be closed, defended the decision to let Kaepernick visit.
“The world should see the hell that is Rikers Island,” he said. “Colin’s profile has helped shed light where it is needed. The fact that correction officers are more focused on his socks while people are getting their brains bashed in is despicable.”
“Colin understands that the systemic racism he’s fighting nationally is epitomized on Rikers.”
