Former Vice President Joe Biden is throwing his support behind the budding NBA boycott over Jacob Blake’s shooting by police, arguing that “now is not the time for silence.”
Biden, the presumptive Democrat nominee, took to social media shortly after the Milwaukee Bucks opted to boycott the fifth game of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Bucks, who were set to face off against the Orlando Magic, decided to not take the court in solidarity with Jacob Blake, the 29-year-old African American man from Kenosha, Wisconsin, who was shot in the back seven times by police. As a result of the Bucks’ decision, the NBA announced it would postpone three other playoff games set to take place as a show of support.
In his statement, which was posted on Twitter, the former vice president applauded the team for taking a moral stand.
“This moment demands moral leadership. And these players answered by standing up, speaking out, and using their platform for good,” Biden said. “Now is not the time for silence.”
This moment demands moral leadership. And these players answered by standing up, speaking out, and using their platform for good.
Now is not the time for silence. https://t.co/hF3dIb7Hde
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 27, 2020
The former vice president’s comments came only hours after he condemned the “needless violence” that has arisen across Wisconsin in response to Blake’s shooting on Sunday. As local outlets have widely reported, protests broke out on the streets of Kenosha shortly after the video of Blake’s encounter with police went viral. Starting on Sunday evening, the protests turned violent, with looting and arson taking place throughout the city.
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