Arthur Mola / Associated Press
Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri on Thursday issued a statement on his 2019 altercation with a Alameda County Sheriff’s Deputy:
Films from body cameras were released Tuesday showing the officer, Alan Strickland, shook Ujiri at the start of the confrontation:
Ujiri tried to go to court after the Raptors de NBA title over the Golden State Warriors. Even with his references in hand, he was shrugged before he got a chance to show them.
“I was reminded at that moment that despite all my hard work and success, there are some people, including those who would protect us, who will always and only see me as something unworthy of respective involvement,” he said. sei Ujiri. “And there’s only one undisputed reason why that’s the case – because I’m black.”
Strickland filed a lawsuit against Ujiri in February, claiming he shook himself hard enough to cause “physical injuries to his head, jaw, chin and teeth, “per Lisa Fernandez of Fox 2. The guard also claimed that Ujiri was trying to ‘storm’ the court before hitting him in the face.
Despite the video evidence, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office stands by his first motion.
“We stand by 100 percent [the] original statement released that Mr Ujiri is the aggressor in this incident, “the sheriff’s office said, per Stephanie Smyth of CP 24. “Do not be quick to judge based on what lawyers say.”
Ujiri compared his situation with other interactions with authority figures, while asking for justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Elijah McClain, three Black men and women who were killed by police officers.
.
