Four Officers Leave WNBA Game Due To Players’ Offensive Shirts

Note: This story was originally reported in July 2016.

Four off-duty officers from the Minneapolis Police Department were assigned to security for the WNBA Lynx game when they left their posts. The officers were reportedly upset after seeing the players wearing pre-game T-shirts that featured the names of two black men who had been shot by police, including Philando Castile, who was killed during a traffic stop in Minnesota.

The shirts also displayed a Dallas police badge in honor of the five Dallas police officers killed on duty, along with the words “Black Lives Matter.”

During a pre-game conference, the players explained that the shirts were a tribute to the deceased and a call for change. Rebekkah Brunson shared her own childhood experience with police, emphasizing that current issues are not new.

“We have chosen to take a stand and speak out,” she said. “Racial profiling and senseless violence are significant issues.”

According to the Minneapolis Police Federation, the officers asked team officials to have the players remove the shirts, but when the request was denied, they walked off the job.

Police federation president Lt. Bob Kroll described the protest as “anti-police” and criticized the players for supporting what he called a “false narrative” about police misconduct.

Minneapolis Police Chief Janee’ Harteau expressed understanding for the officers’ frustrations but did not support their actions. She emphasized that officers are expected to uphold their responsibilities while in uniform.

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges criticized Lt. Bob Kroll’s remarks, stating, “His comments about the Lynx are inappropriate. It’s important to clarify that labor leadership does not speak for management, and his views certainly do not reflect mine.