NBA referees stage march in Orlando bubble against racism

Less than 24 hours after NBA players staged a strike in protest of the police shooting of Jacob Blake and ongoing police brutality against Black people around the country, the league’s referees staged a demonstration of their own.

After meeting on Wednesday night to discuss how they could support the players who walked out, NBA referees held a peaceful march around the NBA campus inside the Orlando bubble on Thursday morning to protest systemic racism and police brutality. They gathered at 9 a.m. at the Coronado Springs Resort, all wearing “Everybody vs. Racism” shirts.

NBA official Marc Davis spoke to those who had gathered, pointing out that the referees are a diverse group with people of different races and creeds.

“We’re here because we feel like we’re a representation of America, or what America could be,” Davis said, via the LA Times. “This isn’t about right versus left. This is about right versus wrong. It’s everybody versus racism.”

Then, the referees started their walk.

A number of Disney World employees lined up to support and applaud them while they walked.

The entire walk was about 1.5 miles, and as it progressed the referees were joined by team attendants and NBA employees.

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