Colin Kaepernick addressed the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the subsequent uprising that has taken place in the area since then, saying, We have the right to fight back.
The activist, who helped put a national spotlight on racial injustices and police brutality by famously kneeling during the national anthem at NFL games in 2016, tweeted about Floyds death and the subsequent resistance to police violence.
When civility leads to death, revolting is the only logical reaction, Kaepernick wrote Thursday. The cries for peace will rain down, and when they do, they will land on deaf ears, because your violence has brought this resistance. We have the right to fight back!
Kaepernick concluded his tweet by adding Rest in Power to Floyd, a Black man who died on Monday after a white Minneapolis police officer was filmed kneeling on his neck while he was handcuffed, unarmed and pleading that he couldnt breathe.
That officer, Derek Chauvin, was eventually taken into custody on Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. People have called for the three other officers involved in Floyds arrest Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng to be charged.
When civility leads to death, revolting is the only logical reaction.
The cries for peace will rain down, and when they do, they will land on deaf ears, because your violence has brought this resistance.
We have the right to fight back!
Rest in Power George Floyd
When civility leads to death, revolting is the only logical reaction.
Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) May 28, 2020
The cries for peace will rain down, and when they do, they will land on deaf ears, because your violence has brought this resistance.
We have the right to fight back!
Rest in Power George Floyd
On Friday, Kaepernick announced on Twitter that he started a legal defense initiative via his organization Know Your Rights Camp for people on the front lines in the Minneapolis area resisting and protesting police violence and racism.
Minneapolis police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets at demonstrators protesting Floyds death.
Know Your Rights Camp has teamed up with top defense lawyers in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area to provide legal resources for those in need, its website states.
Kaepernicks legal defense initiative is the latest example of how the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback has continued his advocacy since playing his last game in the NFL. The league has been widely accused of blackballing Kaepernick for his activism.
Support Free Journalism
Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.
Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
In solidarity w/ our brothers & sisters in Minneapolis, KYRC + @kaepernick7 established our Legal Defense Initiative to support Freedom Fighters on the ground. If you, or a loved one needs legal assistance, or to donate, go to https://t.co/BQO5g9f5wb #wegotus pic.twitter.com/5g3wn1wXso
Know Your Rights Camp (@yourrightscamp) May 29, 2020","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Know Your Rights Camp","author_url":"https://twitter.com/yourrightscamp","cache_age":86400,"description":"In solidarity w/ our brothers & sisters in Minneapolis, KYRC + @kaepernick7 established our Legal Defense Initiative to support Freedom Fighters on the ground. If you, or a loved one needs legal assistance, or to donate, go to https://t.co/BQO5g9f5wb #wegotus pic.twitter.com/5g3wn1wXso Know Your Rights Camp (@yourrightscamp) May 29, 2020\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":509,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EZM1OsWUMAA4NGg.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":987,"title":"Know Your Rights Camp on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/yourrightscamp/status/1266414451432894464","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"voices","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5ed142a8c5b68d76d74cf426","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/colin-kaepernick-george-floyd-killing-minneapolis_n_5ed142a8c5b68d76d74cf426","entryTagsList":"colin-kaepernick,defense-legal,police-brutality,minneapolis,black-voices,george-floyd,minneapolis-police-department,black-voices,women,politics","sectionSlug":"black-voices","deptSlug":"voices","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"women,politics","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.black-voices","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/48bace1b-19b9-434b-9f88-9c99fa8260d7/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":14},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5ed142a8c5b68d76d74cf426","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Colin Kaepernick","slug":"colin-kaepernick","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/colin-kaepernick","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/colin-kaepernick","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/colin-kaepernick"},"relegenceId":3033763,"section":{"title":"Sports","slug":"sports"},"topic":{"title":"Colin Kaepernick","slug":"colin-kaepernick","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/topic/colin-kaepernick"},{"name":"Defense legal","slug":"defense-legal","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/defense-legal","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/defense-legal","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/defense-legal"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/defense-legal"},{"name":"Police Brutality","slug":"police-brutality","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/police-brutality","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/police-brutality","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/police-brutality"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Police Brutality","slug":"police-brutality","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/police-brutality"},{"name":"Minneapolis","slug":"minneapolis","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/minneapolis","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/minneapolis","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/minneapolis"},"relegenceId":3935474,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"U.S. News","slug":"us-news"},"topic":{"title":"Minneapolis","slug":"minneapolis","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/minneapolis"},{"name":"black voices","slug":"black-voices","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/black-voices","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/black-voices","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/black-voices"},"department":{"name":"Voices","slug":"voices"},"section":{"title":"Black Voices","slug":"black-voices"},"topic":{"title":"Black Voices News","slug":"black-voices-news","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/voices/topic/black-voices-news"},{"name":"George Floyd","slug":"george-floyd","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/george-floyd","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/george-floyd","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/george-floyd"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/george-floyd"},{"name":"minneapolis police department","slug":"minneapolis-police-department","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/minneapolis-police-department","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/minneapolis-police-department","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/minneapolis-police-department"},"relegenceId":4100119,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"U.S. News","slug":"us-news"},"topic":{"title":"Minneapolis","slug":"minneapolis","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/minneapolis"},{"name":"Black Voices","slug":"black-voices","url":"https://action.news/topic/black-voices"},{"name":"Women","slug":"women","url":"https://action.news/topic/women"},{"name":"Politics","slug":"politics","url":"https://action.news/topic/politics"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["\r\n\r\n","\r\n\r\n","\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}">In solidarity w/ our brothers & sisters in Minneapolis, KYRC + @kaepernick7 established our Legal Defense Initiative to support Freedom Fighters on the ground. If you, or a loved one needs legal assistance, or to donate, go to https://t.co/BQO5g9f5wb #wegotus pic.twitter.com/5g3wn1wXso
Know Your Rights Camp (@yourrightscamp) May 29, 2020
Last month, Kaepernicks organization created a relief fund for Black and Latino communities disproportionately dying of COVID-19. He donated $100,000 to the fund.
Kaepernick, like many other public figures , rejected the notion that people should focus blame on Minneapolis demonstrators who are protesting Floyds death and a history of police violence against Black people and an unjust criminal justice system. Property has been damaged during the demonstrations, and the Minneapolis Police Departments 3rd Precinct Station was set on fire Thursday .
In fighting for liberation theres always retaliation, Kaepernick tweeted on Friday. We must protect our Freedom Fighters.
Support Free Journalism
Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.
Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
_(720p).jpg)
 OFFICIAL HD MUSIC VIDEO.jpg)
.jpg)
