Louisiana University athletes marched from the Moncla practice facility near Cajun Field to a Lafayette Police Station demanding change in the wake of police shootings in Wisconsin and here in Lafayette.
"Too many s's. Too many lives lost. Black lives matter and all lives can't matter until black lives matter," said running back T.J. Wisham.
Cajuns athletes from football, soccer, volleyball, and men's and women's basketball marched across Lafayette carrying signs and banners pleading to end racism in America.
Wisham, who spoke for the team, shared his own personal story of the night police drew guns on him.
"I've looked down the barrel of a gun, I thank God every day she didn't pull the trigger," he said. "To this day that day haunts me. When I see videos of these shootings I have that same anxiety, that same pain hops up in my spirit. I have to push through and push through and use my platform to make sure that doesn't happen to anyone."
Inspired by the NBA's boycott of games, players organized this march, but received the full backing of UL athletics.
"This was a student organized event but that's what makes it significant and that's what I'm proud of," said football coach Billy Napier. "Basic direction. What's the purpose what the objective. And it was to impact people," he said of the advice he gave them.
Napier added that walking on this date, the 57th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I had a dream speech," was important to the athletes.
Wisham said that the football team is not done demanding justice and will hold more events next month. Friday, LSU football also marched from Tiger Stadium to the the home of the university president.
ORIGINAL STORY ----------------------------
UL Lafayette athletes are currently marching to protest social injustice.
KATC was live at the Unity March which began at 2:30 pm. See video below:
The march began at Cajun Field and continued along Cajun Dome Blvd to Blackham Coliseum.
Athletes held signs calling for the local community to join in the support of the movement.
"Support our movement how you support us on Saturday," one sign read.
Another saying, "When the color of our skin is seen as a weapon, we will never be unarmed."
A similar march was held on LSU's campus on Friday.
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