The Sacramento police have been under constant national scrutiny since it was revealed that one of their officers shot and killed Stephon Clark, who was unarmed at the time, in his backyard. The city's police and authorities are urging the public to give them more time in order to investigate this latest instance of police brutality against a young African-American man. Video evidence from the incident reveals the officer in question's plea to mute the video before firing his gun at Clark, which has caused a public uproar.
In response to this shooting, residents of the city took to the streets on Friday to protest police violence against people of colour. A sizeable audience banded together, which eventually resulted in the brief shut down of the Interstate 5. Additionally, The NBA is also doing its part to combat systemic racism by staging a subtle yet affecting display on the court.
During Sunday's match between the Sacramento Kings and the Boston Celtics, players from both teams were seen wearing t-shirts with the words "Accountability. We Are One" written on the front, alongside Clark's name emblazoned on the back.
The professional athletes wore the shirts during pregame warmups and the national anthem to show their solidarity with this ongoing cause. The Kings even took to social media to post a video message urging for some drastic changes in the social institutions that govern the American public.
The city's mayor Darrell Steinberg has released a statement revealing how "our kids and men don't feel safe. There is no danger if we do the right thing, if we push aggressively to change what must be changed."