The Brooklyn Nets had their home opener today, which they lost to the Charlotte Hornets. One member of the Nets who was not taking part was Kyrie Irving, who has not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19. But even with Irving absent, his presence was still felt that day — largely due to the protests that took place outside Barclays Center and resulted in security briefly closing the doors of the arena due to safety concerns.
The Associated Press’s dispatch from the arena (via The Guardian) notes that “a few dozen” protestors gathered there before the game and chanted slogans like “Let Kyrie play! Let Kyrie play!” Images from the protest also show that the ubiquitous Gadsden flag was also present at the event.
A smaller group within the protest tried rushing the doors of the arena and were kept from doing so by security personnel — who, based on their body language in the video, looked far from thrilled to have unmasked anti-vaccination advocates shouting at them in the middle of a pandemic.
In a statement to Reuters, the arena described the actions it had taken. “Barclays Center briefly closed its doors today in order to clear protestors from the main doors on the plaza and ensure guests could safely enter the arena,” a spokesperson said.
More Like This
Whether you’re looking to get into shape, or just get out of a funk, The Charge has got you covered. Sign up for our new wellness newsletter today.
