Nets briefly put Barclays Center on lockdown after protest for Kyrie Irving turns ugly

[TomCADem]

Source: Yahoo Sports

Kyrie Irving was neither seen nor heard at the Brooklyn Nets' home opener on Sunday, but the effects of his decision to refuse to get vaccinated were on full display.

Ahead of the game, a large group of vaccine mandate protesters appeared outside the Barclays Center, demanding Irving be allowed to play NBA games again. Even though he is barred from only Nets home games due to New York protocols, the Nets have announced Irving will not play until the situation is resolved.

Wearing shirts reading slogans such as "Stand with Kyrie" and chanting "Let Kyrie play," the crowd soon turned aggressive and stormed past the barricades outside the arena.

Newsday's Barbara Barker reported the group included supporters of President Donald Trump and people with Black Lives Matter signs, while another source claimed to hear a reference to the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol.

Read more: https://sports.yahoo.com/nets-barclays-center-lockdown-kyrie-irving-protest-nba-220143596.html

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The funny thing is that while Fox News breathlessly portrays Kyrie Irving as a martyr, there is a reason why Irvine has a long a history of being a self-centered, chemistry killer. Today it is vaccines, but before it was Kyrie Irving poisoning the locker room with the Celtics, then getting fined for blowing off media events with the Nets.

But, anti-vaxxers suddenly decide to jump on the band wagon as though Kyrie Irving is really doing this because of some deep seated belief, rather than just once again making it all about himself, rather than supporting his team.

https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/ny-marcus-morris-kyrie-irving-boston-celtics-locker-room-20191021-cisa6tvjzrh3blaitezvhymnh4-story.html

Well, we're two days away from the 2019-20 campaign, and former Celtics are still talking about the season that went sideways.

Veteran forward Marcus Morris, who left Boston to join the Knicks in free agency this past summer, was asked recently if he foresees similar chemistry issues arising on a New York squad where minutes could be at a premium.

Morris responded by insisting these Knicks are different than last season's Celtics -- because they don't have Kyrie Irving.

"We don’t have that one guy where it’s like, okay, he’s first,” Morris told the New York Daily News' Stefan Bondy. “It’s a team thing. No knock on Ky, but obviously he’s a superstar, he’s first. Sometimes his emotions were put in front of the team.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/nets/2020/12/10/brooklyn-nets-kyrie-irving-fined-nba-media-access/3889792001/

Kyrie Irving, Nets fined $25K by NBA after Brooklyn star's refusal to speak to media

The NBA fined the Brooklyn Nets and their star guard Kyrie Irving $25,000 each for “violating league rules governing media interview access,” the league said in a news release on Thursday.

The league continued: “The fines result from Irving's refusal on several occasions this week to participate in team media availability.”

Irving can be fined again if he is not compliant.

Last week during NBA media week, Irving declined to speak with reporters and instead issued a statement.

“COVID-19 has impacted us all in many ways, so I pray for the safety and health of our communities domestically and abroad. I am truly excited for the season to start and I am also praying that everyone remains safe and healthy throughout this journey. Instead of speaking to the media today, I am issuing this statement to ensure that my message is conveyed properly.

[George II]

1. Was just coming here to post this. Some short videos embedded in tweets:

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[rockfordfile]

10. One of the pos in the video looks like one of the un-American pos that attacked our country

One of the pos in the video looks like one of the un-American pos that attacked our country on Jan.6.

[George II]

11. And who is the guy up front who has two baseball bats in his back pack? I saw on Twitter....

...they have a good closeup of his face.

[PSPS]

2. At least they followed their orders to leave the confederate flags at home this time

[George II]

6. This wasn't a spontaneous demonstration.

[PSPS]

7. Precisely.

[halfulglas]

3. Wonder if the BLM signs are a set up.

I know that antivaxxers come from everywhere but these violent, aggressive ones are the usually the Trumpy ones. I may appear defensive about this but most BLM signs mean hear us, Black Lives Matter too, not the I'm crashing in, get out of our way. I hate when BLM get blamed for "riots" when we have an actual insurrection and disruption of American life by these yahoos and they try to deflect blame.

[Scrivener7]

4. Of course they are.

[George II]

8. Just like all the white guys with black ski masks smashing windows and starting fires....

....at BLM rallies last summer.

It's a modern day Kristallnacht.

[Jon King]

5. Kyrie is free not to get the shot, we are free to ban him from us.

Freedom, works both ways. We are free to ban those who won't get the jab from society as much as possible because they are allowing the virus to mutate which could affect us all.

[cadoman]

9. I hate to say it, but our BIPOC friends need to fall in line

We do not want to have to deploy the police to but safety is our top concern. We cannot help if they are ignorant of the scientific fact that COVID vaccines are essentially 100% safe and effective, and that vaccine mandates are legal.

Kudos to Marcus Morris for being the voice of reason and professionalism on this issue. Think I'll look into ordering one of his jerseys.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

12. COVIDIOTs fighting for their free dumb.

[PoliticAverse]

13. Those people have a basketball jones...

[multigraincracker]

14. Let Typhoid Mary work in the school cafeteria too.

Be a nice sign at that rally.