Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner was confronted at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on Saturday by a right-wing social media personality who berated her about her release from a Russian prison.
Alex Stein posted video of himself shouting “Do you still want to boycott America, Brittney?” as well as “She hates America” and “What about the merchant of death, Brit?”
Terri Jackson, executive director of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association, said players contacted her as the situation unfolded. The players told Jackson that security had to push the man away and eventually tackle him. Stein’s video shows him being moved away as Griner and her teammates can be seen walking closely behind.Mercury forward Brianna Turner, a vice president of the players association, tweeted: “Player safety while traveling should be at the forefront.
Griner’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, called for chartered flights as a matter of safety and expressed concern to The Washington Post that the league cannot keep players safe in an airport environment where players can be freely approached. Players around the league expressed support for Griner during her detainment, so there has been worry that they could be targeted, too.
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