Colin Kaepernick Supports Meek Mill, Says Rapper Victim Of 'Systemic Oppression'

Colin Kaepernick who was declared GQ Magazines' "Citizen of the Year," on Monday, took to social media to speak out in support to rapper Meek Mill who was sentenced to two-to-four years in prison for violating parole.

The quarterback described Mill as being a victim of "systematic oppression,” and wrote a lengthy statement on Instagram and Twitter that also touched on how the legal system favored white people.

“Meek Mill is a victim of this systemic oppression. Yes, there needs to be action surrounding sentencing reform, but there needs to also be action taken around abolishing the radicalized norms of injustice that can lead to Meek Mill serving two-to-a four-year prison sentence for non-violent parole violations, and Brock Turner only serving three months in prison for three felony counts of sexual assault,” Kaepernick wrote.

In context, Kaepernick — who initiated the national anthem protests —pointed out the case of former Stanford swimmer Brock Turner who was found guilty of sexual assault, but served just three months in prison, bringing out the argument that black people were more unfairly treated by the justice system.

He wrote [in part]: “Disproportionately America’s prisons are filled with Black bodies. This criminal (in)justice system, ripe with racial discrimination, stigmatizes, profiles, and targets young Black men for arrest at a young age, having its roots in their hyper-policed neighborhoods that they are raised in, and sadly extending into what should be a safe space—the classroom, via the school to prison pipeline.”

Meanwhile, a crowd of demonstrators took to the streets and rallied for Mill outside of Philadelphia’s Criminal Justice Center on Monday evening. The group called for Judge Genece Brinkley to recuse herself after handing down a two-to-a four-year prison sentence to the rapper last week.

According to Digital Music News, members of the Philadelphia Eagles including mention Kevin Hart, Julius ‘Dr, J’ Erving, and Pennsylvania state representative Jordan Harris also turned up at the demonstration.

Jay-Z also tweeted in support of Mill and said the sentence was wrongful.

Mill was charged with misdemeanor assault after an altercation with the employees of St. Louis International Airport in March and agreed to attend his community service so the charges were later dropped.

According to People magazine, Mill was arrested in August and was charged with reckless endangerment in New York City. The arrest took place after police officials saw Mill’s video on Instagram where he rode his quad bike around the streets of Upper Manhattan.

Prior to the judge’s decision, Mill tried to persuade the judge for mercy and said that he did not violate his probation intentionally.

“I’m human, I’m not perfect. I’m asking for mercy. You gave me the ladder to do what I have to do to prevail in my struggle. I made it this far, I can’t really go back and start over,” he said, according to Philly.com.

Brinkley then told Mill: “I gave you break after break and you basically just thumbed your nose at this court.”