Cleveland Browns Player Andrew Hawkins Defends T-Shirt Protesting Police Shootings
Andrew Hawkins hopes for justice following recent tragedies.
— -- Cleveland Browns wide receiver Andrew Hawkins defended his decision to wear a shirt protesting recent Ohio police shootings, despite a police union’s calls for him to apologize.
Hawkins wore the shirt over his uniform calling for justice in the fatal shootings of Tamir Rice and John Crawford III during pre-game introductions Sunday before Cleveland’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The head of the Cleveland Police Union called the protest “pretty pathetic” in a statement to ABC affiliate WEWS-TV in Cleveland and demanded an apology, but Hawkins declined.
“I was taught that justice is a right that every American should have,” Hawkins, 28, told reporters Monday. “Also, justice should be the goal of every American. I think that’s what makes this country. To me, justice means the innocent should be found innocent. It means that those who do wrong should get their due punishment. Ultimately, it means fair treatment.
“So a call for justice shouldn’t offend or disrespect anybody. A call for justice shouldn’t warrant an apology.”
The Cleveland Browns released a statement acknowledging the contributions of police, but also defending Hawkins’ demonstration.
Rice, 12, was carrying a toy gun in a park when he was fatally shot by Cleveland police on Nov. 24, with a grand jury slated to hear the case. Crawford, 22, was shot and killed in an August shooting inside a Beavercreek, Ohio, Walmart store. A grand jury declined to indict the officer who fatally shot Crawford.
Hawkins’ demonstration comes two weeks after a group of St. Louis Rams players held up their hands during pre-game introductions in a “hands up, don’t shoot” display to protest the decision not to indict a white Ferguson, Missouri, police officer in the August shooting death of unarmed black teen Michael Brown.
NFL players Reggie Bush and Davin Joseph also wrote “I can’t breathe” on their clothing, referencing a grand jury’s decision not to bring an indictment in the Staten Island, New York, death of Eric Garner.