Mariners catcher Steve Clevenger sent out some controversial posts on social media Thursday, apparently referencing the Black Lives Matter movement, the national-anthem protests and social unrest this week in Charlotte, N.C.
One man died after being injured during the Charlotte demonstrations, which occurred after a police officer fatally shot a black man. The governor of North Carolina declared a state of emergency in an attempt to quell further unrest.
Two Clevenger tweets Thursday drew much attention. In the first tweet he apparently referenced the protests in Charlotte and the recent national-anthem protests by athletes, including those in the NFL, the NWSL and high-school football:
“Black people beating whites when a thug got shot holding a gun by a black officer haha (expletive) cracks me up!