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Thursday, March 28, 2024

F1 champ Lewis Hamilton criticises his sport for its silence on killing of George Floyd in social media post

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F1 champ Lewis Hamilton criticises his sport for its silence on killing of George Floyd in social media post
F1 champ Lewis Hamilton criticises his sport for its silence on killing of George Floyd in social media post

Six times Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton criticises his sport for its silence on the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a white U.S. police officer knelt on his neck, in social media post

SHOWS: INTERNET (MAY 31, 2020) (STILL IMAGES-MUTE) (SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITE - ACCESS ALL) 1.

STILL IMAGE OF LEWIS HAMILTON'S INSTAGRAM PAGE WITH FIRST PART OF STATEMENT ON F1, GEORGE FLOYD, AND PROTESTS 2.

STILL IMAGE OF FIRST PART OF LEWIS HAMILTON'S INSTAGRAM STATEMENT, SAYING: "I see those of you who are staying silent, some of you the biggest stars yet you stay silent in the midst of injustice.

Not a sign from anybody in my industry which of course is a white dominated sport.

I'm one of the only people of colour there yet I stand alone.

I would have thought by now you would see why this happens and say something about it but you can't stand alongside us.

Just know I know who you are and I see you..." 3.

STILL IMAGE OF LEWIS HAMILTON'S INSTAGRAM PAGE WITH SECOND PART OF STATEMENT ON F1, GEORGE FLOYD, AND PROTESTS 4.

STILL IMAGE OF SECOND PART OF LEWIS HAMILTON'S INSTAGRAM STATEMENT, SAYING: "I do not stand with those looting and burning but those who are protesting peacefully.

There can be peace until our so called leaders make change.

This is not just America, this is the UK, this is Spain, this is Italy and all over.

The way minorities are treated has to change, how you educate those in your country of equality, racism, classism and that we are all the same!

We are not born with racism and hate in our hearts, it is taught by those we look up to." BERLIN, GERMANY (FILE - NOVEMBER 7, 2019) (REUTERS) 5.

LEWIS HAMILTON SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT GQ GERMANY 'MEN OF THE YEAR' EVENT SILVERSTONE, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - FEBRUARY 14, 2020) (MERCEDES VNR - ACCESS ALL) 6.

HAMILTON DRIVING 2020 MERCEDES ON TRACK 7.

MERCEDES CEO TOTO WOLFF (ON LEFT) AND DRIVER VALTTERI BOTTAS WATCHING HAMILTON DRIVE PAST STORY: Six times Formula One motor racing champion Lewis Hamilton has criticised his sport for its silence on the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died after a white U.S. police officer knelt on his neck.

The death in Minneapolis triggered a wave of outrage and violent protests in the United States.

Hamilton, Formula One's first black world champion, spends much of his time in America and spoke out on the issue in an Instagram story on Sunday (May 31).

"I see those of you who are staying silent, some of you the biggest of stars yet you stay silent in the midst of injustice," wrote the Mercedes driver.

"Not a sign from anybody in my industry which of course is a white dominated sport.

I'm one of the only people of colour there yet I stand alone," he added.

"I would have thought by now you would see why this happens and say something about it but you can't stand alongside us.

Just know I know who you...are and I see you." In a second post, Hamilton added: "I do not stand with those looting and burning buildings but those who are protesting peacefully.

There can be no peace until our so called leaders make change." McLaren driver Lando Norris, Hamilton's compatriot, was one of those who did comment, adding a line to his profile on the Twitch streaming platform that said "sign the !BLM petitions #BLACKLIVESMATTER" Canadian Nicholas Latifi, who is due to drive for Williams this season, said on Twitter 'This has to stop #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd." Hamilton has spoken out before about the lack of diversity in motor racing.

"There really is the most minimal diversity within this sport and I really somehow want to be a part of shape-shifting that with Formula One," he said a year ago.

(Production: David Grip)

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