UNITED AS ONE
NEWCASTLE SHOW THEIR SUPPORT AS AMERICAN STAR SPEAKS OUT AGAINST RACISM
NEWCASTLE United fans have shown overwhelming support to DeAndre Yedlin after the American shared an emotive post summing up his feelings over police brutality against black people in his home country.
The full-back took to Twitter just hours after his Newcastle team-mates ‘took a knee’ in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement as protests continue across America in anger at the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis.
Yedlin revealed his own family had been in touch, admitting they would be scared for his wellbeing if he lived in America.
He said: “A couple of days after George Floyd’s death, my grandfather texted me and told me he is glad I am not living in the US right now because he would fear for my life as a young black man.
“As days have passed, this text from my grandfather has not been able to leave my mind.
“He was born in 1946, lived through the civil rights movement, lived through some terribly racist times in US history.
“Now 70 years later he STILL fears for the life of his black grandchild, in the country he and his grandchild were born in, in the country his grandson represents when he plays for the United States, in the country his grandson represents when he is playing in England.”
He added: “I remember being in elementary school and having to recite the Pledge of Allegiance which ends “.. with liberty and justice for all.”
“Every American needs to ask themselves is there “liberty and justice for all” and if their answer is yes then they are part of the problem.
“In no way are we asking black lives to matter more than white lives, all we are asking is we are seen as equal, as more than 3/5 of a man, as humans. ”
United fans offered tweets of support to Yedlin with many sending their best wishes to the full-back and his family.
Earlier Newcastle United club captain Jamaal Lascelles had led the call for players to go down to one knee in the centre circle of a training pitch at Benton – with the club offering the message of support #UnitedasOne.