In this Sunday Nov. 30, 2014, file photo, St. Louis Rams players, from left, Stedman Bailey (12); Tavon Austin (11); Jared Cook (89); Chris Givens (13); and Kenny Britt (81) raise their arms in awareness of the events in Ferguson, Mo., as they walk onto the field during introductions before an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders in St. Louis.ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis Rams official and a county police chief differed Monday about whether the team had apologized for the actions of five players who raised their hands during pregame festivities in a show of solidarity with Ferguson protesters.
Kevin Demoff, the executive vice president of football operations for the Rams, denied in an email to the Associated Press that he’d apologized.
“I expressed regret for any perceived disrespect of law enforcement,” Demoff said. “Our players’ goal was to show support for positive change in our community. I do believe that supporting our players’ First Amendment rights and supporting local law enforcement are not mutually exclusive.”
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch said county chief Jon Belmar told his staff by email Monday night that Demoff had apologized. The email said Demoff “clearly regretted that any members of the Rams organization would act in a way that minimized the outstanding work that police officers carry out each and every day.”
In an email sent to the AP, St. Louis County police Sgt. Shawn McGuire said Belmar interpreted Demoff’s comments as an apology.