Professional golfer Richy Werenski drew both support and criticism online for wearing a Blue Lives Matter wristband over the weekend at a tournament near Minneapolis, where George Floyd was killed by police two months ago.
Werenski, who has worn the wristband for PGA Tour events since 2017, finished third in the 3M Open, which finished on Sunday. But it was the wristband that captured headlines on Monday.
Others came to Werenski’s support.
Professional athletes are increasingly expressing their political views and positions on social causes, at times sparking divisions within the sports community. WNBA players recently walked off the court during the national anthem at the league’s season opener.
Blue Lives Matter was founded in December 2014 after New York City police officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were shot and killed while sitting in their squad car in Brooklyn.