Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement issued by the Wisconsin Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression (WAARPR) in conjunction with the Tubby family.

Green Bay, WI – The resurgent movement for Black lives and against police crimes, sparked by the public execution of George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police Department on May 25, is maintaining momentum as summer draws to a close. This is because the police continue to kill Black men and other people. 288 people have been killed by police since Floyd’s murder.

Like many other aspects of life in the U.S., sports have been impacted by this country-wide upsurge. Players from various sports have marched in the streets with protesters, practices were called off as a result of player actions, and wildcat labor strikes occurred that resulted in the postponing of games in the NBA and MLB.

On the opening day of their 2020 regular season, the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings paid tribute to the life and family of George Floyd. Their opponents, the Green Bay Packers, have made several statements in support of the struggle against racial injustice and police brutality, particularly since the attempted murder of Jacob Blake by the Kenosha Police Department on August 25. This is good, but we want the Packers to do more in their own community to combat these societal problems.

On October 19, 2018, the Green Bay Police Department and the Brown County Sheriff’s Office jointly participated in the murder of Jonathon Tubby, a proud young indigenous man and member of the Oneida Nation. The injustice has been perpetuated, with Officer Erik O’Brien facing no discipline for the murder. Instead, O’Brien received a promotion with the GBPD. The Wisconsin Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, together with the family of Jonathon Tubby and the Justice for Jonathon group, are calling on the Packers to put their money where their mouths are.

We want the Packers to honor Jonathon’s life like the Vikings honored George Floyd’s, including an invitation to the Tubby family to be welcomed at Lambeau Field for the home opener. We call for the Packers to take part in the struggle for justice for Jonathon by pressuring those with the authority to reopen the investigation and to push for Officer Erik O’Brien to be fired, indicted, and convicted for murder.

We look to the Green Bay Packers to use their platform to elevate the call for justice for Jonathon and show that these issues matter beyond just making comments to the media. The Wisconsin Alliance recognizes that now is the time to stand alongside the Tubby family. If the Packers organization, it’s players, and its coaches are serious about what they’ve said regarding the fight against racial injustice, we hope they will join us.

#GreenBayWI #PeoplesStruggles #IndigenousPeoples #PoliceBrutality #JonathonTubby #WisconsinAllianceAgainstRacistPoliticalRepressionWAARPR