ANN ARBOR – As more and more public figures come forward to address protests across the country sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, University of Michigan’s head men’s basketball coach Juwan Howard took to Twitter Monday to share his thoughts.
“As a country, we must do better,” the Tweet reads. “As a nation of diverse people, we must stand strong. As a black community, we must rise up & let our voices be heard. However we must do so peacefully.”
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Howard said that looting and vandalism is counterproductive and instead causes more pain.
He also got personal, referencing his family and the fears he and his wife face raising two sons.
“Witnessing murders of unarmed black men has been gut wrenching,” he wrote. “Knowing my very own sons are at risk, is a fear Jenine and I live with every day.”
— Juwan Howard (@JuwanHoward) June 1, 2020
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The post was a break from his usual tweets sharing moments from the court and received an outpouring of support in response.
In all the years we've been friends, from a hot dorm in Ann Arbor eating Oreos to 30-years later as a head basketball coach, one attribute has stood out among your many - "Leader". I'm proud of u @JuwanHoward. Always have been - always will be.♥️👊
— Troy Amaris (@TroyAmaris) June 1, 2020
I hope recruits see this cause this is the kind of leadership and class you want from a coach. Not just a basketball coach, but a human being who will shape young men in the future ✊
— Liam Duggan (@LDMich123) June 1, 2020
The tweet comes after a weekend of mostly peaceful protests across the country which were marred by violent scenes of rioting and looting in some areas. In Detroit, demonstrators defied a curfew imposed on Sunday night to help curb the violence as Detroit police work with the FBI to identify and track outsiders coming to the city to create chaos.