After players on the Minnesota Lynx WNBA team wore warm-up shirts protesting the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, four off-duty Minnesota police officers staged a little protest of their own by leaving their security posts at Minnesota's Target Center during Saturday's game against the Dallas Wild.
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"I commend them for it," Lt. Bob Kroll, the Minneapolis police union's president, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune regarding the officers' decision to leave.
"If [the players] are going to keep their stance, all officers may refuse to work there," he later said.
On the front of the shirts was the phrase "Change Starts With Us — Justice and Accountability," while the back included the names of Castile and Sterling, as well the Dallas Police Department shield and "Black Lives Matter."
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"We do not in any way condone violence against the men and women who serve in our police force," Lynx star Maya Moore said in a pregame press conference. "Senseless violence and retaliation do not bring us peace."
"We as a nation can decide to stand up for what is right, no matter your race, background or social status. It is time we take a deep look at our ability to be compassionate and empathetic to those suffering from the problems that are deep within our society."
