Fists stay raised among Minnesota United's Black players pushing for racial justice

A year later, Minnesota United goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair and a few of his teammates still raise a fist skyward during the national anthem in the name of racial justice and George Floyd.

Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin a year ago Tuesday. It's a date that St. Clair calls a "constant reminder" of racism that goes far beyond 38th Street and Chicago Avenue.

"It's still a problem we've seen throughout the country," he said. "If you look not only at George Floyd, but all the deaths that have happened since then, just in this last year alone. The fight hasn't stopped, but I'm glad George Floyd has been a catalyst, unfortunately. We need to continue to push the envelope and get actual change."

St. Clair and teammates Jacori Hayes, Hassani Dotson and Romain Metanire each raise a fist before games. As MLS' Black players did in protest as the independent organization Black Players for Change before the MLS is Back tournament opened last summer.

One year after Floyd's death, the group joined with the NBA Players Association to push for passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act that passed the U.S. House of Representatives in March but remains in the Senate.

"It's up to people we elected to make those differences and make the changes," Hayes said.

Minnesota United has matched other local pro teams' donations to the George Floyd Global Memorial Fund. It also has joined with brothers Jeremy and Justin Sutherland on an "In Diversity We Trust" sportswear collection. It also plans to light Allianz Field for an upcoming "Day of Racial Reckoning."

St. Clair lives mere miles from the site where Floyd's death rocked the world.

"It's sad to see it happen in your home community, but at the same time it's inspiring to see the community get together, fight a cause and be a catalyst for everything," St. Clair said.

Hayes drove by a rally at the site on Sunday.

"The city still remembers," he said. "It's very chilling because you think it's something that happens almost in a different world. To know that I go out to eat somewhere and it's a couple blocks away from where he was murdered."

Hayes visited 38th and Chicago twice last year. St. Clair has been there twice as well.

"It's tough, knowing what happened there and knowing it could have been me, it could have been one of my teammates, it could have been one of my friends," St. Clair said.

Star midfielder Emanuel Reynoso continued to work indoors on his own Tuesday because of a knee issue as the team prepares to play Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

"We're hoping he's ready for the weekend," coach Adrian Heath said. "But if not, we certainly won't rush him. It's a case of wait-and-see, really."

Recently signed forward Adrien Hunou trained with his new teammates for the first time Tuesday in Blaine and new left-side attacker Franco Fragapane is expected to join Wednesday.

"Adrien hasn't played a full game for five weeks now," Heath said. "He's still a bit ring-rusty, shall we say. He might not have that extra little zip you get from playing matches. But Fragapane probably enjoyed two, three days' rest because he has been playing every four days for the last three, four months."