JOHANNESBURG – Serena Williams has vowed not to remain silent about the #BlackLivesMatter movement, which highlights police brutality and murder of black people from an unconscious racial bias of police department.
In an emotional Facebook post, she explained the burden and fear black people faced when in public, around police, with their loved ones and how many innocent black people have been killed. She further went on to admit feeling guilty as she allowed her younger (black) nephew to drive the car when they noticed a police officer.
Williams’ post referred to Philando Castile, a black man who was “accidentally” shot and killed by a police officer when reaching for his drivers’ license. The police officer in question mistakenly thought he was reaching for a firearm.
The shocking video was recorded by his girlfriend, who at the time of the shooting, was sitting in the passenger seat.
Since the beginning of June this year, there have been a number of high profile killings of black men and women by police officers who have yet to be prosecuted.
In the case of Alton Sterling, this sparked the resurgence of the #BlackLivesMatter this year after the Ferguson protests of last year.
This was followed by young mother Korryn Gaines and the most recent incident, Terrence Crutcher.
At the end of her Facebook post, Williams concluded quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. saying; “There comes a time when silence is betrayal”.