Black Prep Player Told To Sit Near Banana Peels: 'I'm Fine'

Moline, Illinois - A Black football player at an Illinois high school captured on video sitting in a locker littered with banana peels after a teammate threatened to break his knees if he didn't comply, says he's "fine" and wants people to "stop talking about the incident."

The Moline High School student, who was not identified because he's a juvenile, also said in a statement released through the Rock Island County State's Attorney's Office that those football team members involved in the incident have apologized, Davenport Iowa TV station KWQC-TV reported.

An 11-second video that's been shared widely on social media shows another football player, whose hand can be seen but face doesn't appear, threatening the Black player to sit in the locker "or I'll break both your knees." When the player sits down, others can be heard shouting, "Yeah!"

Moline Police Chief Darren Gault called the incident a "disturbing racist scene." He said the department's investigation determined that the people involved were teammates "of both different and similar races to the victim."

https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2021-04-13/black-prep-player-told-to-sit-near-banana-peels-im-fine