No, Ahmaud Arbery’s Father Did Not Say ‘All Lives Matter’ – Newsweek

Outside a Georgia courthouse on Wednesday, the father of Ahmaud Arbery spoke to the press after three men were convicted of murdering his son.

Some outlets and reporters have misquoted Marcus Arbery Sr., however, suggesting he used a controversial slogan that is associated with criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Several tweets claiming that Arbery had said "all lives matter" went viral.

What he actually said was "all life matter" as he spoke about not wanting another family to lose a child the way he had lost his son.

"We conquered that lynch mob," he said outside the Glynn County Courthouse. "We got that lynch mob letting you know that Black kid's life don't matter.

"For real, all life matter, not just Black children. We don't want to see nobody go through this. I don't want to see no daddy watch their kid get lynched or shot down like that. So, it's all our problem. It's all our problem.

"So, hey, let's keep fighting, let's keep making this place a better place for all human beings. All human beings. Everybody. Love everybody. All human beings need to be treated equally. We're going to conquer this lynching. Today is a good day."

Black Lives Matter also celebrated the verdicts. "GUILTY! We uplift the Spirit of #AhmaudArbery and send love to his family," the organization posted on Twitter.

"Deep appreciation to all who organized, protested, ran, posted, and prayed. Every effort ushered in as much justice as could be had. May this victory inspire the continued struggle for Black freedom."

Ahmaud Arbery's name became a rallying cry during the racial justice protests that erupted after the murder of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white police officer in May 2020.

Arbery's death in February 2020 had attracted limited attention at first, but video of the fatal shooting posted online sparked an outcry.

On Wednesday, after about 10 hours of deliberation, a mostly white jury convicted Greg McMichael, his son Travis McMichael and their neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan of Arbery's murder. All three face a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

The McMichaels had grabbed guns and jumped in a pickup truck to pursue the 25-year-old after seeing him running in their neighborhood outside Brunswick.

Federal authorities have also charged the men with hate crimes, alleging they chased and killed Arbery because he was Black. That case will go to trial in February.

Ben Crump, an attorney who represents Marcus Arbery Sr, and Black Lives Matter have been contacted for comment.

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No, Ahmaud Arbery's Father Did Not Say 'All Lives Matter' - Newsweek