Smackdown Superstar, Mustafa Ali, is a former Chicago-area police officer. He has previously said that he joined the force in order to create change from the inside. He recently took part in an interview with SI.com where he spoke about Black Lives Matter, George Floyd’s death at the hands of police, and more from the perspective of a former police officer.
“As a former police officer, I can look you in the eye and tell you with zero hesitation in my voice that George Floyd was not just killed by the police,” Ali said. “He was murdered by the police.”
Ali continued to explain why he joined the police force.
“I thought the best way to bring change to the police department [was] from within. That’s why I joined.”
Mustafa Ali On Black Lives Matter
Ali would then say that it is the structure and culture of policing that needs to change. He continued to talk about the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement as well.
“The Black Lives Matter movement isn’t something that happened overnight. It’s not something over one Black man being murdered. This is 400 years of getting shoved and hit and kicked and spit on and murdered and raped, insulted and degraded, and killed. This is 400 years of that. The Black Lives Matter movement is essential to the survival of every Black man and woman in this country. Yeah, there’s going to be that permanent scar there and the only way to really repair that relationship is massive change. And yes, it starts with the police.”
Ali goes even deeper during the interview to talk about the culture of the criminal justice system.
“Look at the private prison industry,” he continued. “It makes millions every year off of what? Arresting, detaining, and putting Black people in custody.”
Ali spent 4 years working on the Chicago Police force. The full interview with Mustafa Ali can be read here.
