College football team walks out of practice to protest racial injustice

The Ole Miss football team released a statement about the sudden walkout on Twitter.

Aug 29, 2020

Deantre Prince #24 of the Mississippi Rebels celebrates an interception with Jacquez Jones #10 of the Mississippi Rebels during the second half of a game against the LSU Tigers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Players from the University of Mississippi football team, or the Ole Miss football team, walked out of their practice on Friday. The players are demanding justice after the recent events of police brutality and racial injustice across the country.

The team released a statement about the sudden walkout on Twitter.

“Police brutality and other injustices occurring across our nation have to end, and our team stands united to embrace our diversity and promote a culture of peace, equality and understanding,” the team said on Twitter.

The team stood in front of a Confederate statue in Oxford Square as players chanted “hands up, don’t shoot” and “no justice, no peace,” CBS News reported.

The players were supported by their head coach, Lane Kiffen, proud that his players were coming together.

We stand united. pic.twitter.com/LNAFWBPO3g
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) August 28, 2020

“We decided to walk from our practice facility all the way down to the square in Oxford United to protest the end of police brutality,” an Ole Miss football player told CBS News on condition of anonymity because players were asked not to speak to the media. “We have Blacks, Whites, Mexicans, all kinds of races on our team but that doesn’t matter. We are family and brothers and that’s how it should be out in the world.”

According to CBS News, the student athletes were inspired by the professional basketball and football players who are taking a stand in order to shed light on racial injustice.

The football team’s walkout happened on the same day as the 57th anniversary of the March on Washington, which is the same day of the 65th anniversary of the death of Emmett Till, both landmark moments in the fight for civil rights.

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