WNBA Suspends Play After Washington Mystics Protest Shooting of Jacob Blake

The Women’s National Basketball Association, who have been playing in a “bubble” in Bradenton, Florida, suspended games on August 26 and 27 to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, reports said.

The Washington Mystics initiated the boycott on August 26, announcing they would postpone their game against the Atlanta Dream, alongside other professional sports teams.

Footage of the Mystics’ strike shows the team in white shirts with letters spelling out Jacob Blake’s name, with seven gunshot wounds painted on the backs.

Mystics player Ariel Atkins said about the strike, “We need to understand that when most of us go home, we still are black. Our families matter.”

Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, and the Men’s NBA also postponed games on August 26. Credit: Washington Mystics via Storyful