Osaka condemns police brutality in US

LOS ANGELES: Two-time Grand Slam tennis champion Naomi Osaka joined the chorus of athletes condemning the death of an unarmed black man at the hands of Minneapolis police, posting pictures of protests from the Minnesota city on her Instagram account.

“Just because it isn’t happening to you doesn’t mean it isn’t happening at all,” wrote Osaka, whose mother is Japanese and whose father is Haitian. “It’s funny to me that the people who wanna wear chains, blast hip hop in the gym, attempt to get dapped up, and talk in slang are suddenly quiet right now,” added Osaka, the former world number one who was this week touted by Forbes magazine as the highest-paid female athlete in the world with earnings of $37.4 million (34.3 million euros).

Minneapolis, Minnesota, has become the epicentre of violent protests since George Floyd died there on Monday after police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground for several minutes by kneeling on his neck.

Chauvin has been charged with murder and negligent manslaughter, but protests across the country have turned violent. US sports stars attuned to social issues were quick to voice outrage at Floyd’s death. Three-time National Basketball Association champion LeBron James contrasted the knee on Floyd’s neck with the kneeling protests of former National Football League star Colin Kaepernick in 2016.

Kaepernick, who was ostracised by the NFL for kneeling during the national anthem in protest against racial injustice, has launched a fund to pay for legal representation for protesters who need it.