Four off-duty Minneapolis police officers working security at a WNBA Minnesota Lynx game walked off their posts after being offended by the players’ pre-game shirts. The players wore black T-shirts honoring Philando Castile and other Black men killed by police, while also recognizing Dallas officers killed in the line of duty and including the phrase “Black Lives Matter.”

The Lynx players said the shirts were meant to honor victims and raise awareness about racial profiling and police violence. At a press conference, player Rebekkah Brunson said these issues were not new and stressed the importance of speaking out against injustice.

The Minneapolis Police Federation said the officers asked the team to remove the shirts, but they refused, leading the officers to leave. Police leadership was divided, with some criticizing the players’ message as “anti-police,” while the police chief said the officers.PICTURE BELOW ⬇️