A group of fans wearing “Fight Antisemitism” shirts sat courtside at Monday’s Nets game in protest of Kyrie Irving following the guard’s recent promotion of an antisemitic film and book on social media.
The group, consisting of two women and six men wearing yarmulkes, sat near the visitors’ bench at Barclays Center for Brooklyn’s contest against the Pacers. At one point, Irving acknowledged the fans with a thumbs-up, though it’s unknown at this time if the 30-year-old directed any remarks toward the group.
After the game, a 116-109 Nets win, the team announced Irving would not be speaking with the media.
Irving came under fire late last week after an article published Friday by Rolling Stone drew awareness to his promotion of the film, Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America. According to Rolling Stone, the book, which is based on a 2015 book of the same name, is “stuffed with antisemitic tropes.”
The NBA and Nets owner Joe Tsai issued statements denouncing Irving’s remarks immediately following the news.
On Saturday, Irving, who also tweeted a link to the film’s Amazon on Thursday, defended his endorsement in a tweet saying that he “meant no disrespect” by doing so.
“The ‘Anti-Semitic’ label that is being pushed on me is not justified and does not reflect the reality or truth I live in everyday,” Irving wrote on Twitter. “I embrace and want to learn from all walks of life and religions.”
That same day, Irving reiterated his views in a press conference after the Nets’ 125-116 home loss to the Pacers.
“Did I do anything illegal? Did I hurt anybody?” Irving asked reporters in regard to the tweet. “Did I harm anybody? Am I going out and saying that I hate one specific group of people?”
He added, “I’m not going to stand down on anything I believe in. I’m only going to get stronger because I’m not alone. I have a whole army around me.”
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