The University of Oklahoma football team held a silent protest Thursday in response to the racist video of Sigma Alpha Epsilon members reciting a slur-infused chant that has made national headlines.
Dressed in black, the players took a break from their practice to lock arms and stand in solidarity on the university football field before speaking with reporters.
“This is an instance in which we feel like we have the opportunity to step up and promote that change,” quarterback Trevor Knight told ABC News.
He was among a group of players and coaches who posted a statement to Twitter urging The University of Oklahoma to not waver on the Sigma Alpha Epsilon incident and continue investigating the fraternity’s executive board.
The university has closed the SAE fraternity house on campus and expelled two students after the video emerged earlier this week, showing fraternity members as they chanted, “There will never be a n***** at SAE,” and made a jovial sing-a-long about lynchings and their desires to keep African-Americans out of the organization.
“These types of incidents occur nationwide every single year, and our hope is to shed light on this issue and promote meaningful change at a national level,” read the statement posted to Trevor Knight’s and several other Twitter accounts for players on the team.
Read the full statement from the team HERE and share your thoughts on the Sigma Alpha Epsilon incident in the comments below.
