The Rev. Al Sharpton "respects and admires" the five St. Louis Rams football players who did a "hands up-don't shoot" tribute to Michael Brown — and says all athletes should follow suit.
In a videotaped interview,
Sharpton — who attended a White House meeting Monday about the response to Brown's Aug. 9 shooting death and the unrest triggered anew when a grand jury decided not to indict Ferguson, Missouri, police officer Darren Wilson last month — praised the Rams' gesture.
"I think that they have a right to do it and it was much appreciated," Sharpton told the gossip news website
TMZ.
"I respect and admire them, and I think to criticize people for expressing themselves is against what America should be about."
Sharpton also took his admiration of the Rams' players one step farther, declaring that all athletes should emulate the gesture: "I think all of 'em should, because they all could have members of their family or themselves become victims."
The Rams were bitterly criticized by the
St. Louis Police Officers Association for honoring Brown, with some officers saying the athletes should be punished for the pre-game salute Sunday. The National Football League says it won't discipline the five.
Though the St. Louis County police said they got an apology from the Rams, the NFL team denied the assertion, the
St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Video of Sharpton's remarks was posted both by TMZ and Mediaite.