A race car driver faces disciplinary action after being accused of liking an offensive George Floyd meme on social media.
According to recent statements, Noah Gragson, 25, was suspended by the Legacy Motor Club and NASCAR last week for his actions.
“We have made the decision to suspend Noah Gragson effective immediately regarding the actions that do not represent the values of our team,” the stock car racing team said on August 5.
Days later, NASCAR backed Legacy Motor Club’s decision, and the organization decided that Gragson “has violated the Member Conduct section of the 2023 NASCAR Rule Book and placed him under indefinite suspension.”
Floyd was killed by ex-Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin in May 2020, and his death sparked a wave of protests worldwide. A video of the incident shows Chauvin pinned his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly 10 minutes as he cried out that he couldn’t breathe.
Gragson is not the only person called out at their job for sharing insensitive Floyd posts. Multiple law enforcement officers nationwide, including in Maryland, Washington, and California, have come under fire following accusations of spreading the memes.
The Instagram post that Gragson reportedly liked appears to show Floyd’s head on a crab from “The Little Mermaid” with the caption, “Under Da Knee, Under Da Knee,” per a screenshot posted by TMZ.
Gragson has apologized and expressed disappointment in his actions in a social media post responding to Legacy Motor Club’s statement.
“I love and appreciate everyone,” the rookie wrote. “I try to treat everyone equally, no matter who they are. I messed up plain and simple.”
