George Floyd death: Nike takes bold stance with latest 'Don't Do It' campaign

Amid protests in the United States against the unjust death of George Floyd in the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, sports apparel giants Nike has come up with a new 'Don't Do It' campaign. A twist to its longstanding catchphrase, 'Just do it,' Nike released their new campaign video last Saturday. 

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George Floyd death: Nike Don't Do It campaign

"For once, don't do it," Nike said in the video. "Don't pretend there's not a problem in America. "Don’t turn your back on racism. Don’t accept innocent lives being taken from us. Don’ t make any more excuses. Don’t think this doesn’t affect you. Don’t sit back and be silent. Don’t think you can’t be part of the change. Let’s all be part of the change.”

John Donahoe, CEO of Nike, released a statement regarding the George Floyd death where he said, "Nike is opposed to bigotry," and supports the nationwide peaceful protests.

Nike's leading rival Adidas also showed a rare case of solidarity after it retweeted Nike's video with a message of 'togetherness' of their own. 

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George Floyd death and George Floyd protests

Last Monday, George Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed African-American, was brutally murdered by a police officer named Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The video of the incident that went viral on social media showed Chauvin pressing his knee against Floyd's neck. Floyd, who was handcuffed and pinned face down, was seen gasping for air as he repeatedly pleaded, "I can't breathe," with the officer. After several minutes, Floyd passed out. He was pronounced dead later that night.

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The George Floyd death has sparked protests and riots across several cities in the United States. Cities like Atlanta, New York, Houston, Boston, Minneapolis, Washington and others saw protesters gather in large numbers to lead peaceful protests. Derek Chauvin and the three other police officers - Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng - were fired by the Minneapolis Police Department. On Friday, Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

As per latest reports, a medical examiner has classified Floyd's death as a homicide. The examiner says Floyd's heart had stopped while he was strangled by the police officer. Floyd's family also conducted an autopsy of their own. The details were released online and according to AP, the report found that he died of asphyxiation due to neck and back compression.

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