Washington Mystics and Los Angeles Sparks players stood together in a moment of silence before their game on Wednesday to honor the victims of the recent events in Charlottesville.
Mystics and Sparks players honor Charlottesville victims during National Anthem
Members of both teams stood in solidarity for a moment of silence.
According to the Washington Post’s Ava Wallace, the effort was led by Kristi Toliver — a Mystics guard and a former member of the Sparks.
During the National Anthem, players on both sides stood together, arms locked. Players from both teams released a statement before Wednesday night’s game. Here is a portion of their remarks:
“It is not a surprise that racism and bigotry exist in this country, but it is not something we stand for in any way. We feel great shock, sickness, and sadness with the degree of acceptance and normalization of this hatred, culminating in ways in the events in Charlottesville this past weekend.”
The WNBA has been vocal about supporting the players’ efforts. League president Lisa Borders released the following statement during the game:
“We fully support our players, who are offering a demonstration of unity that we hope America can emulate in the wake of the tragic events in Charlottesville. We offer our sincere condolences to the families who lost loved ones and our support to those who were injured during the inexcusable violence that transpired.”
The WNBA is no stranger to players speaking out on different issues. Just last year, players on the Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty took a knee during the national anthem before a playoff game. Also in 2016, members of the Mercury, Liberty and Indiana Fever wore black T-shirts during warm-ups to protest the killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.
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