After the Cleveland police asked the Cleveland Browns to apologize for Andrew Hawkins’ pre-game t-shirt on Sunday, the Browns backed their player’s support to protest in a statement.
Prior to Sunday’s game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, Browns wide receiver Andrew Hawkins walked out onto the field with a t-shirt that read, “Justice For Tamir Rice And John Crawford III” — a teen and man who were killed by police in Ohio.
The Cleveland police were unhappy and issued a statement asking for an apology for the team.
While the police called the gesture from Hawkins “pathetic,” the Browns inequivocally stated that they support their players’ right to protest and stand up for social issues that are important to them.
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A statement from the Browns acquired by WEWS read:
"We have great respect for the Cleveland Police Department and the work that they do to protect and serve our city. We also respect our players’ rights to project their support and bring awareness to issues that are important to them if done so in a responsible manner."
That is exactly the kind of response a franchise should have.
If you missed Hawkins’ pre-game apparel, you can check out the shirt in the photo below:
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