Jaylen Brown shared on social media that he traveled to Atlanta over the weekend to protest the death of George Floyd, arriving in Georgia’s capital city on Saturday to protest against police brutality and bring light to issues facing people of color.
“It’s a peaceful protest,” Brown said Saturday evening in an Instagram video. “Being a celebrity, being an NBA player don’t exclude me from no conversation at all. First and foremost, I’m a Black man and I’m a member of this community, and I grew up on this soil. I want to say that first and foremost.”
Brown says he drove over 15 hours from Boston to lead a peaceful protest in his home state following the death of Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who died after a Minnesota police officer knelt on his neck.
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“I CAN’T BREATHE,” read the sign Brown held in an Instagram post, echoing the words uttered by Floyd in the video that went viral this week.
In the wake of Floyd’s death, a number of protests and demonstrations have taken place across the country.
Brown publicized his plans earlier in the day, encouraging people to join him on his walk through the city. Among those who showed were two fellow Georgia natives in Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon and rapper Lil Yachty. Both Brogdon and Brown are vice presidents of the National Basketball Players Association.
In the middle of the peaceful protest being lead by @celtics F Jaylen Brown, @lilyachty is giving a powerful message. “Whether you’re black, whether you’re white, green, yellow or purple we’re together.” (video posted on @FCHWPO IG) #AtlantaProtest #11Alive pic.twitter.com/wLloXXfsfc
— Maria Martin (@Ria_Martin) May 30, 2020
Brown said the purpose of the peaceful protest was to “raise awareness about some of the injustices” affecting Black men and women. He also has been actively expressing his thoughts via Twitter, writing Friday, “There are no more cheeks to turn.”
“Our voices need to be heard,” Brown said. “I’m 23 years old. I don’t know all the answers. But I feel how everybody else is feeling. For sure. No question.”
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As the group marched, Brown used a megaphone to lead a call-and-response chant. “No justice,” he shouted. “No peace,” the crowd responded.
Lil Yachty also addressed the crowd.
“It doesn’t make any sense to me,” he said. “As I sat home, and I’m trying to make it add up, as to why we have to go through breaking windows, demolishing our — all this is ours. We may not own it, but we live here. We’re raising our families here and we’re building up our lives here. It’s unfortunate we got to do this, just to show our frustration. We shouldn’t take that.”
Brogdon spoke, too.
“We got to keep pushing forward,” he said. “Jaylen, man, has led this charge. I’m proud of him. We need more leaders.”
See more video from Brown’s protest here:
Jaylen Brown leading a protest in Atlanta right now 🙏🏽 🙌 @FCHWPO pic.twitter.com/Yk8tby1ggZ
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) May 30, 2020
Jaylen Brown on his IG live from Atlanta: "Being a celebrity, being an NBA player doesn't exclude me from no conversation at all. First and foremost I'm a black man and I grew up on this soil.” pic.twitter.com/7pD09VYouk
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) May 30, 2020
"Being a celebrity, being an NBA player don't exclude me from no conversation at all."
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 31, 2020
Jaylen Brown drove 15 hours from Boston to Atlanta to join the protests.
(via @FCHWPO) pic.twitter.com/eZR1fxvCdd
Brown had been spending the NBA shutdown in Boston, training with his 78-year-old grandfather. The Celtics announced on Friday that their practice facility will open for voluntary workouts starting on June 1.
Katie McInerney can be reached at katie.mcinerney@globe.com. Follow her @k8tmac.