Several of the Washington Wizards sat behind the glass Monday night to watch the Washington Capitals win Game 7 of their first-round playoff series against the New York Islanders in Verizon Center. They were also keeping an eye on what was happening in Baltimore on the day of Freddie Gray’s funeral.
Rioting, separate of earlier protests, hit parts of the city and looting followed. Businesses were vandalized and cars were set on fire. For Los Angeles native Paul Pierce, watching the images on the news provided understanding, disappointment and a flashback.
“I just think it’s really upsetting to see a community just go out and burn down stores, trash cars,” Pierce said Tuesday. “Those are some of the things I saw on the news. But, I also saw some positive things. Some of the people rallying together for a cause.
“I sent out to Twitter yesterday, it reminded me of the L.A. riots. I was living in L.A. during that time when, you know, we were tearing up our own community and it really didn’t have no cause. It really didn’t serve any purpose at the end of the day when the riots was all over. You looked up, and the stores that we go to weren’t there anymore. Just pretty much a lot of vandalism and it didn’t really help none of the cause. I understand the mindset, but it really isn’t helping the cause when we destroy the things and places that we go and that we live in.”
Rasual Butler, a Philadelphia native, also used social media to express his views on what he saw occur. Tuesday, he expanded on his thoughts.
“I understand the anger, but I don’t understand the way that they’re going about displaying that anger,” Butler said. “It’s almost like rage now because it’s uncontrolled anger. Tearing up your own property doesn’t really make sense to do that, but I understand where they’re coming from because they’re upset, they’re angry and they want answers. Justice needs to be a real thing in our society and right now, I don’t think it is because of the way that people, particularly of color, are being treated by people who are supposed to serve and protect. That’s not OK.”
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