Oilers' Bear responds to racism: 'I'm proud of where I come from'
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Ethan Bear has been the victim of racist behavior on social media since his costly giveaway led to the Winnipeg Jets' tying goal during Monday's Game 4 triple-overtime loss, which ended Edmonton's season.
Bear, who is from the Ochapowace First Nation, responded with a powerful video message on Wednesday.
"I'm here to stand up to this behaviour... I'm proud of where I come from. I'm proud to be from Ochapowace First Nation. I'm not just doing this for myself. I'm doing this for all people of colour & for the next generation."
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) May 26, 2021
Ethan Bear's statement in response to racist comments. pic.twitter.com/3CK6DENnHC
The NHL also backed Bear and denounced racism in a statement of its own.
Ethan Bear represents both our game and his Indigenous heritage with dignity and pride. He, and all people from Indigenous backgrounds, deserve to feel empowered and respected on and off the ice. We stand with Ethan and his family in denouncing hate. pic.twitter.com/BQazdfjS1B
— NHL (@NHL) May 26, 2021
Oilers general manager Ken Holland also discussed the racism on Wednesday, saying he feels "sick" for Bear and called the behavior "disgusting."
Connor McDavid also stood by his teammate with a strong statement.
Standing with you Bearsy #EndRacism https://t.co/8acJCLwMbx pic.twitter.com/u3CHZZnyKq
— Connor McDavid (@cmcdavid97) May 27, 2021
The hashtag #IStandWithEthan has been trending on social media in support of Bear.
Edmonton selected Bear in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Draft.