A rally outside Staples Center has been planned for Tuesday afternoon following the controversy involving Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling.
Over the weekend, gossip site TMZ published an audio recording of a phone conversation between what appears to be Sterling and his girlfriend. In the conversation, Sterling tells his girlfriend, V. Stiviano, to not take any African Americans to Clipper games nor to take any pictures with them and post them onto her social media networks.
More specifically, Sterling refers to former Laker and current owner of the Dodgers, Magic Johnson, with whom Stiviano took a photo with earlier this month and then posted on her Instagram account.
The news of the racist remarks made by Sterling right away caused an uproar on social media and across the sports world.
Magic Johnson responded right away by sending a tweet that said he and his wife will never go to a Clippers game as long as Sterling is the owner. He has then done television interviews further expressing his thoughts.
“The statements are offensive and despicable and have no place in Los Angeles,” said L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti. “I urge the NBA to act swiftly. L.A. fans deserve and demand better.”
While on this trip in Malaysia, President Barack Obama called Sterling’s comments “incredibly offensive.”
“When ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance, we have to be clear and steady in denouncing it,” Obama said.
Now, a protest to call on Angelenos to boycott the team has been planned.
The rally is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. on Tuesday right before the Clippers take on the Golden State Warriors for Game 5 of the first-round playoff series.
The Human Rights Advocates, the NAACP and the Community Coalition are among the organizations that will reportedly be present at the event.
An investigation by the NBA is underway.
Before the rally, the association is scheduled to announce its actions toward Sterling. That is said to happen sometime on Tuesday.
Some experts have said Sterling should be fined, while others say he should give up his ownership of the team and be fired from the NBA.
If you plan on attending the rally on Tuesday, protesters will begin gathering at 5:30 p.m. on the corner of Pico Blvd. and Figueroa St..
