Gwen Berry Protests Team USA In The Olympics By Not Placing
The American hammer thrower failed to even break the top ten, let alone medal.
Congratulations Gwen Berry! You continued your protests against America by not medaling in the hammer throw, oh, you didn’t even break top ten in a field of twelve.
Maybe if you focused more on your craft than protesting, you could have found yourself on the podium. But then again, you don’t like the National Anthem so maybe it’s a good thing you didn’t place so you didn’t have to sit through it.
In June at Olympic Trials, Berry took bronze behind DeAnna Price and Brooke Andersen, who finished above her at the Olympic games as well. Berry caused a stir when she turned away from the American flag and faced the stands on the podium as the National Anthem played while simultaneously holding a shirt that read “Activist Athlete”.
Berry also said that she was “pissed” that the Star-Spangled Banner played during her celebration. She also voiced her displeasure with the contents of the National Anthem in an interview on Black News Channel.
This wasn’t Berry’s first act of defiance against the United States. Two years prior at the Pan-American Games, Berry raised her fist in protest on the medals podium.
A few weeks prior to the Olympic games in Tokyo, Berry stated that she would “represent the oppressed people” should she win a medal, adding that “that’s been my message for the last three years.”
Since she didn’t medal, does that mean Berry won’t “represent the oppressed people”? Just wondering.
DeAnna Price of America finished in eighth with a throw of 73.09 meters and Brooke Andersen finished tenth for the U.S. with a toss of 72.16 meters. Berry finished in eleventh with a throw of 71.35 meters beating just one other participant, Italy’s Sara Fantini. Tough look for a person as outspoken as Berry.