Ex-NFL star Brian Urlacher slammed for ‘liking’ post demanding Kenosha gunman is freed and criticising NBA boycott
EX-NFL player Brian Urlacher has been slammed for criticizing NBA players for boycotting games over the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
The ex-Chicago Bears linebacker took issue on Instagram with NBA players who were refusing to play after an unarmed 29-year-old father of six who was shot multiple times in the back by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
America’s top basketball stars have decided to boycott their matches in order to push for reform after Blake was left paralysed on Sunday having been shot by cops in front of his children.
But in an Instagram post, Urlacher unfavorably compared the NBA's boycott decision to a brave performance by his old rival Brett Favre after the death of his father.
He said: "Brett Favre played the MNF game the day his dad died, threw four TDs in the first half, and was a legend for playing in the face of adversity.
"NBA players boycott the playoffs because a dude reaching for a knife, wanted on a felony sexual assault warrant, was shot by police."
Blake's shooting has sparked nights of violent Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests in the city of Kenosha, where property was damaged or burned down.
Three BLM demonstrators were shot on Tuesday night, allegedly by self-styled vigilante Kyle Rittenhouse, two of whom died.
The 17-year-old has been charged with the alleged murders.
But before Urlacher's Instagram post, he allegedly liked a post on the social media platform in support Rittenhouse which demanded he was freed.
In response to the post, the Chicago Bears released the following statement to .
It said: "The social media posts in no way reflect the values or opinions of the Chicago Bears organization."
It comes after launched a shocking blast at LeBron James and his fellow NBA players over their protest over Blake’s shooting.
The welterweight fighter took to his own social media to blast: "Oh wow, you postponed your games?! Wanna prove you’re really about change?
"Quit your multi million dollar jobs and soft privileged lives playing a kids game, take a massive pay cut and perform the toughest job in America. Become cops!"
The social media posts in no way reflect the values or opinions of the Chicago Bears organization
Chicago Bears statement
Yesterday the Bears released a statement saying they were pausing football activities and calling for action in the wake of Blake’s shooting.
Boycotts are now sweeping through sports in the US .
MLS side Inter Miami walked off before a game this week while tennis star Naomi Osaka pulled out of the Western and Southern Open.
Baseball players are also joining the movement as the FBI investigate the shooting on Blake.
Furious protesters took to the streets for the second night in a row
Huge orange flames leapt from buildings and cars as protesters marched through Wisconsin's streets
Most read in US News
The U.N. human rights office said today that the images of the shooting of Blake appeared to show that the police officer had used "excessive" force that was likely discriminatory in nature.
Spokesman Rupert Colville said at a virtual briefing in Geneva, saying the use of force did not appear to comply with international standards.
He said: "From the images available that we've seen at this point, the police appear to have used force against Jacob Blake that would seem to be excessive.
"It also seems highly possible that the force used against Blake could be discriminatory in nature."
Blake's shooting comes amid heightened tensions in the US over police brutality and the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement following the killing of African-American man in May after a white cop knelt on his neck.
He was shot numerous times by , 31, who, along with the other officers involved, has been suspended pending a full investigation.
Wisconsin Attorney general Josh Kaul, investigators claim they found a knife in the footwell of Blake’s vehicle, which Blake confirmed he was in possession of.
Last month, Blake was charged with third-degree sexual assault, according to online court records.
