The WNBA’s Washington Mystics hosted the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday night, but the evening brought much more than simply a game of basketball.
Prior to the national anthem, members of each team gathered and linked arms in a showing of solidarity following the violent white nationalist protests that took place in Charlottesville, Va., this past weekend and held a moment of silence to pay tribute to those who died as the horrific events unfolded.
#Mystics and Sparks players stand side-by-side during the National Anthem after a moment of silence for victims in Charlottesville. #wnba pic.twitter.com/kHjh00oakd
— Ava Wallace (@avarwallace) August 16, 2017
Sparks and Mystics players lock arms during the national anthem prior to their game tonight. #WNBA pic.twitter.com/7i5QdUlnSy
— Maria Noble (@mariarnoble) August 16, 2017
Players from both teams also put together a statement that was released ahead of the game. Here’s a portion, via The Washington Post:
[blockquote]“It is not a surprise that racism and bigotry exist in this country, but it is not something we stand for in any way. We feel great shock, sickness, and sadness with the degree of acceptance and normalization of this hatred, culminating in ways in the events in Charlottesville this past weekend.
“On behalf of both the Mystics and Sparks players, we feel pain and disbelief following the blatant hate displayed and the President’s response to it. There is no way to innocently protest alongside a hate-based group and to take pause on condemning the acts that took place is inexcusable.” [cite]Joint statement from Mystics and Sparks players on Charlottesville rallies[/cite][/blockquote]
WNBA president, Lisa Borders, and director of operations for the WNBA Players’ Association, Terri Jackson, each issued statements to show their support for the players’ display:
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