Milwaukee Bucks' Sterling Brown joins Chicago-area Juneteenth march to demand police reform
BROADVIEW, Ill. (WLS) -- An NBA player from a Chicago suburb is back in the area, using his voice and his platform to call for police reform and more funding in Black communities.
Milwaukee Bucks star Sterling Brown was one of hundreds who walked for miles in Broadview Friday in a march against racism and police brutality.
"Educate yourself. Know what you are doing, what you are marching for and what you are standing for," the Maywood native said.
Brown was the victim of a wrongful arrest by Milwaukee police in 2018.
Body camera footage captured the moment he was shocked with a stun gun after he was cited for a parking violation.
Brown filed a civil lawsuit alleging excessive use of force.
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The death of George Floyd and recent unrest brought his own experience back into the conversation.
"Happens every day, on a regular basis," Brown said. "They are fed up. The world is in an uproar. We are demanding change, equality and we are going to get it."
The Juneteenth celebration march went on for miles, with large crowds filling the overpass above Interstate 290.
State Sen. Kimberly Lightford walked with mayors and community leaders, and talked about criminal justice reform she plans to push in Springfield.
"I think we have a long way to go before we can shut off funding to the police department," Lightford said. "We need the police to support us, but we want them to be good cops as well."
