A California high school girls basketball team has been barred from a tournament because they had been wearing t-shirts with the last words of Eric Garner, “I Can’t Breathe,” on them. Now, they plan to show up to protest the tournament, which starts Monday.
Both the Mendocino High School girls and boys teams were specifically told by Brian Triplett, the athletic director at Fort Bragg High School that they could not wear “I Can’t Breathe” shirts during warm-ups. According to USA Today, the boys team was allowed to play in the tournament after all but one agreed. However, only a few girls agreed, so the whole team was barred.
Fort Bragg High Principal Rebecca Walker told the Associated Press in a statement on Friday that the shirts were banned purely as a security precaution. “We are a small school district that simply does not have the resources to ensure the safety and well-being of our staff, students and guests at the tournament should someone get upset and choose to act out,” Walker wrote.
The local Press Democrat reported Sunday that the girls plan on showing up to Fort Bragg High School, where they will wear the “I Can’t Breathe” shirts in protest.
Garner was the Staten Island, New York man who died after a police officer used a choke-hold. A grand jury decided not to indict the officer. Since then, LeBron James and other athletes have been seen wearing “I Can’t Breathe” shirts before games.