I will not be silent: Serena Williams speaks out about fears of police violence

Serena Williams has become the latest high-profile sports star to add her voice to concerns over police shootings and racial injustice in the U.S. The tennis star spoke out on Facebook, saying she was inspired by an incident involving her 18-year-old nephew as he drove her to a meeting. As their car passed a police patrol, Williams said she quickly checked he was obeying the speed limit to avoid trouble with the officer. She said she recalled “that horrible video” by Philando Castile’s girlfriend, who broadcast the aftermath of his killing on Facebook Live. “I even regretted not driving myself,“ she said "I would never forgive myself if something happened to my nephew. He’s so innocent. So were all ‘the others’.”

As Dr Martin Luther King said ‘There comes a time when silence is betrayal’. I won’t be silent

Serena Williams

World No.1 Williams, 35, said she could not remain silent on the issue, which has led to protests across the U.S. “Why did I have to think about this in 2016?” she wrote. “Have we not gone through enough, opened so many doors, impacted billions of lives? But I realized we must stride on – for it’s not how far we have come but how much further still we have to go.” Her remarks follow protests by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick who has refused to stand for the national anthem. His actions have been copied by a number of other sports stars.

I am a total believer that not ‘everyone’ is bad. It is just the ones that are ignorant, afraid, uneducated, and insensitive that is affecting millions and millions of lives.

Serena Williams

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