The Cleveland Cavaliers star has offered a powerful response after his Los Angeles home was vandalized with a racial slur, saying, 'Racism will always be part of the world, part of America.'
- June 1, 2017
AceShowbiz -
LeBron James' Brentwood home was vandalized with a racial slur. Los Angeles police told TMZ Sports that the front gate of the Cleveland Cavaliers stars' property had been spray-painted with the N-word on Wednesday morning, May 31.
The vandalism was reported at around 6:45 A.M. Los Angeles Police Department officials said James was not home when the incident happened. Investigators are currently looking into surveillance footage from the area in the hope of finding the perpetrator.
The racial slur was covered up by property management by the time officers arrived at James' home, police said. While the incident is technically being investigated as a hate crime, it has yet to be officially classified as such.
James addressed the incident at an NBA news conference held on Wednesday afternoon. "Racism will always be part of the world, part of America," he said. "And hate in America, especially for African Americans, is living every day."
LeBron James responds to the vandalism incident at his home pic.twitter.com/goMoicIIit
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) May 31, 2017
"No matter how much money you have, no matter how famous you are, no matter how many people admire you, being black in America is tough," he continued. "And we've got a long way to go for us as a society and for us as African-Americans until we feel equal."
LeBron says it's "killing" him that he can't see his sons after what happened pic.twitter.com/p0au5Oupgr
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) May 31, 2017
He said the most important thing is that his family is safe. "I mean I look at it as this - if this will shed a light and continue to keep the conversation going on my behalf, then I'm OK with it. My family is safe. At the end of the day, they're safe, and that's the most important," he said.
