Gwen Berry does it again

I have already written about Gwendolyn Berry and her protest on the podium of the 2019 PanAmerican Games in Lima. She had won the gold medal and while the US anthem played Berry raised her fist into the air.

The reactions were swift. Officially she was reprimanded with a 12 month probation. The author of the letter was none other than the president of the US Olympic Committee. Hate mail was even swifter.

"If you don't love the USA, then represent some commie country instead of leeching off a host you despise to get your 'moment in the sun'", tweeted somebody. She was called a traitor and a 'pathetic joke'.

Now it turns out that Berry's father has fought for the US, being an Iraq veteran. And he  made clear that he was in total support of his daughter, explaining that

"For her to do that on the podium is more American than anything, if you ask me. "Because that's what our country is founded on: freedom of expression, freedom of speech".

G. Berry, herself, explained her gesture as being due to her "awakening into the history of African Americans in the US, a strengthening of her identity as a black woman". It was a protest against a broken system and a tribute the sacrifices of her community.

After the things settled down The USOC reconsidered and ended by issuing new guidelines in order to allow peaceful expressions of protest “in support of racial and social justice for all human beings". And they did (privately) apologise to Berry.

And then Berry did it again.

She was third in the US Trials for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (yes, they are the 2020 Olympics despite being held in 2021). And on the podium she turned away from the US flag during the national anthem. In fact Berry had not planned a protest. In principle the anthem does play for every podium of the national championships, but only once a day. But, it happened to play during the women's hammer podium. 

In Berry's own words this looked like a setup. She did not anticipate protesting, but once there she had to do something as she remains committed to her using sport to advance her cause.

“It’s really important for me and my community just to be able to represent. Being able to represent my communities and my people and those who have died at the hands of police brutality, those who have died to this systemic racism, I feel like that’s the important part", she said.

Reactions burst forth. Some white politician demanded her removal from the US Olympic team. Clearly he does not realise the absurdity the situation, when he suggested that a black protester must be sanctioned for anti-americanism. “We don’t need any more activist athletes", he said. I beg to differ. More activist athletes is precisely what we need.

Berry will be on a larger stage at the Tokyo Olympics. and it just happens that the IOC is discussing granting athletes permission to demonstrate, before their competition (although they remain banned from demonstrating on the podium). Berry has said she will not back down in Tokyo, regardless of the rules in place. She has not decided how she will demonstrate.“When I get there, I’ll figure out something to do”, she said. 

So, I cross my fingers for Berry to win a medal in Tokyo.