Protests in Columbia, South Carolina Prompt Outpouring of Support from People Around University of South Carolina Athletics

Chaunte'l Powell of GamecockDigest shares updates from Columbia

Chaunte'l Powell of GamecockDigest joined Madelyn Burke to discuss the protests of police violence in Columbia, South Carolina following the death of George Floyd. 

People from around the world of University of South Carolina athletics showed their support of the protests with the women's head basketball coach Dawn Staley being present for protests. 

#SCSTANDING #BlackLivesMatters pic.twitter.com/rwK902RQoR

— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) May 30, 2020

Basketball player Laeticia Amihere and quarterback Ryan Hilinski released their own statements of support.

Chaunte'l Powell has more reaction on SI's GamecockDigest.

Video Transcript:

Madelyn Burke: Protests ensued at the University of South Carolina Saturday as demonstrators marched to protest the death of George Floyd, who died last week in Minneapolis police custody as an officer knelt on his neck for nine minutes, Chaunte'l Powell has covered the scene and the university's response. Chaunte'l, how would you describe the protests? 

Chaunte'l Powell: Well, thought I they had been a majority peaceful. One incident I heard over someone showed up in one of the red MAGA hats usually used to identify Trump supporters. And it got a little bit violent as they tried to chase him off and get him off the premises. Well, for the most part, from what I've heard, I haven't heard a lot of property damage or anything like that. It got a little tense because it is a protest. But for the most part, I haven't heard a whole bunch of violence and things that you're kind of hearing throughout. So it seems to be under control. 

The city is still on curfew this weekend. They're looking to lift that curfew, I think, Monday; and just see where it goes from there. So everything seems to be, you know, tense because just that's the nature of it. But it seems to be going pretty smoothly.

Madelyn Burke: And some of the school's athletic department heads have spoken out about this, supporting this. How important is it and what is the messaging that you're seeing from the university? 

Chaunte'l Powell: Right. So, you know, the women's basketball coach, Dawn Staley, she has been very vocal from the very beginning of all of this. And hits her hard, you know, just being a black woman and having majority black athletes on her team. She's been calling for justice from the start. She was actually at one of the protests yesterday. So, you know, she's seen firsthand, how this has affected the city. Will Muschamp issued a statement. Ray Tanner issued a statement. You see players like quarterback Ryan Hilinski, has issued a statement. Basketball players like Laetica Amihere speaking out. And I think when your coach and your athletic director set the tone and give you a space to really verbalize and vocalize how you feel and then fight for change you want to see. 

A lot of times we see people look up to athletes because they have that platform in the because, at the pro level, they have the money and the influence to make change. But then it becomes a situation like you see in the NFL where an athlete has to decide, all right am I going to give up my entire livelihood in order to stand up for my people when I still feel like I have a responsibility to my family and things of that nature? So to give them that space and to give them that outlet to really make change in the community and know that not just that. But like in Dawn Staley's case, having understood the situation and she's going to have your back. So whenever something goes off, she's right there with him in the trenches, so to speak. I think that has a huge impact.

Read more from Chaunte'l Powell on GamecockDigest.