Members of the Jaguars participated in a protest march in Jacksonville last Friday and there was another contingent that included running back Leonard Fournette taking part in a march on Tuesday.
Fournette helped organize the march from Jacksonville City Hall to the Duval County Courthouse and back and was joined by linebacker Myles Jack, wide receiver Keelan Cole, defensive tackle Abry Jones, wide receiver Chris Conley and running backs coach Terry Robiskie. Jacksonville mayor Lenny Curry and sheriff Mike Williams were also part of the group.
“The biggest thing I want to get out to y’all -- and to everyone -- is it’s not about the flag at all,” Fournette told the crowd, via the team’s website. “I want y’all to understand that. It’s about us wanting equal rights and understanding our place as young black men, because it’s hard being black out here right now. And it’s tough. This is a big step for all of us, and I’m happy to see blacks and whites out here together doing this. This is a wonderful thing. I didn’t grow up being racist or my parents teaching me racism. We’ve got to stop that ----. That --- is bad, man. We’ve got to. It’s bad, man.”
Fournette and Curry spoke to the crowd from City Hall, which is across the street from a park that once featured a monument and plaque honoring confederate soldiers. That monument was removed early on Tuesday and Curry pledged to have others in the city removed as well.
