Death of George Floyd: Colin Kaepernick's gesture at the heart of American ills

Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow

In 2016, quarterback Colin Kaepernick, NFL star, caused uproar in the United States by kneeling on the ground at the time of the national anthem, to protest against police violence against African-Americans. With the death of George Floyd, the fight and the gesture of Kaepernick take a little more shape in a divided American society.

Publicity

The parallel is as shocking as it is heartbreaking. LeBron James, a basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers, did not fail to point this out angrily. In 2016, American football star Colin Kaepernick demonstrated against police violence against African-Americans by kneeling on the ground when the national anthem sounded before each meeting. And on May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis, George Floyd died of suffocation during a police check during which an officer, Derek Chauvin, kept him on the ground for more than eight minutes by pressing a knee on his neck. And this despite the entreaties of George Floyd, who gave "  I can not breathe  " ( "  I can not breathe  ") before succumbing.

Almost four years separate these two images, but nothing has changed: in the United States, the black community continues to denounce the police's brutal treatment of them. The death of George Floyd, filmed, has sparked protests and violence across the country in recent days. And Colin Kaepernick , he continues his fight. Far from the stadiums where he acquired his fame.

See this post on Instagram

Do you understand NOW !! ?? !! ?? Or is it still blurred to you ?? 🤦🏾‍♂️ # StayWoke👁

A publication shared by LeBron James (@kingjames) on May 26, 2020 at 4:38 PDT

For his convictions, Kaepernick sacrificed his career

Talented quarterback, star of the San Francisco 49ers, "Kap" no longer plays. His peaceful protest in 2016 cost him his career. His contract with his team was terminated by mutual agreement at the end of this American football championship season. Celebrated by some, conspired by others - including a certain Donald Trump, who publicly called him "  son of p ...  " - for his behavior deemed unpatriotic in a country where people do not mess with the symbols that are l hymn and flag, the afro-cut athlete has no longer found an NFL franchise to exercise his profession.

Too sulphurous for business, too divisive for the population, too controversial, too committed, Kaepernick paid for its position. But never mind, the colossus has no regrets. In 2018, the equipment supplier Nike will even make it its standard bearer with the leitmotif: “  Believe in something. Even if you have to sacrifice everything for that.  "

The birth of the knee-down pose

It was at the end of 1987 that little Colin was born in Milwaukee, after a brief history between his black father and his white mother. The latter, abandoned by her partner during pregnancy and only aged 19 at the time of delivery, then decides to entrust her child to adoption. It was in the family of Rick and Teresa Kaepernick that he grew up. A mixed race child pampered by a white couple, Colin Kaepernick saw and experienced, from childhood to adulthood, from university to NFL fields, looks, prejudices and sometimes pure racism. A strong man of conviction, the man who became the major player of the 49ers could not remain silent in the face of police violence.

In the summer of 2016, Colin Kaepernick made his first strong gesture by remaining seated while the American anthem was played before an NFL game. This attitude, considered disrespectful, drew attention to his will: to denounce police violence against blacks. To strike the veterans of the American army as little as possible, the quarterback will quickly opt for a new gesture: put one knee on the ground during the anthem. Kaepernick hit the nail on the head. In the United States, he is applauded or condemned. Donald Trump, about to become president, belches . In the NFL, in the NBA, in other leagues, and even in Europe, other sportsmen and artists will follow the example of "Kap", who became persona non grata in the NFL.

See this post on Instagram

My Brothers @kstills and @ ithinkisee12 continue to show their unwavering strength by fighting for the oppressed! They have not backed down, even when attacked and intimidated. Their courage will move the world forward! “Love is at the root of our resistance!” ✊🏾

A publication shared by colin kaepernick (@ kaepernick7) on Sep 9, 2018 at 11:24 am PDT

Police kneel in turn

Become an icon of the fight for the civil rights with his gesture and his rare words, Colin Kaepernick returns in the American societal current events. After the brutal death of George Floyd, the activist expressed himself on social networks: “  When civility leads to death, revolt is the only logical reaction. The calls for peace will rain, and when they do, they will fall on deaf ears, because your violence has provoked this resistance. We have the right to fight back! Rest in peace, George Floyd.  "

In this United States of America bruised by community divisions, unnecessary deaths and riots that erupt everywhere, the gesture popularized by Colin Kaepernick has become essential. Activists united under the slogan “Black Lives Matter” used it during the demonstrations. Even stronger: the police also execute him. Several of them were filmed or photographed with one knee on the ground, while on duty. A sign of solidarity, appeasement, denunciation of abuses, perhaps forgiveness ... Enough to embarrass the authorities and annoy Donald Trump, who scorns this gesture and adopts a martial position far from appeasing the spirits in this period critical.

I can't believe it. Police took a knee. Protesters and police embrace. pic.twitter.com/5jwBJTBbp3

While the country is going through a dark period with the epidemic of coronavirus and its terrible consequences, another scourge, that of racism, still shakes it. In the midst of tensions, despite everything, we kneel, like Colin Kaepernick, whose gesture is taking on a new dimension, like the gloved and raised fists of sprinters John Carlos and Tommie Smith - gesture borrowed from the "Black" movement Panthers "- during the 1968 Olympics. This will probably not be enough to solve the problem of police violence against blacks and racism in the country of Uncle Sam. But this peaceful posture has at least the merit of bringing a little of calm in these difficult days.

Newsletter Receive all international news directly in your mailbox

Follow all international news by downloading the RFI application

• United States
• Justice
• Racism
• Sports
• Donald trump

On the same subject

Death of George Floyd: the sports world also expresses its anger

Interview

"Donald Trump's rhetoric is completely inflammatory," says Human Rights Watch