Guard Tiffany Hayes (15) and center Elizabeth Williams (1) are among the Atlanta Dream players who wrote an open letter supporting Black Lives Matter. Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS/Sipa USA

Atlanta Dream players hit back at co-owner Loeffler: 'Black lives matter'

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Jul 10, 2020 7:10 PM ET

After Atlanta Dream co-owner and Georgia Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler vehemently opposed the "Black Lives Matter" movement in a letter penned to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, Loeffler reiterated her stance during an appearance on Fox News:

There’s no room in this country for racism, but that’s not what the BLM political movement is about.

They want to defund the police. They promote anarchy and riots. They refuse to condemn violence in “autonomous zones.” #gapol #gasen pic.twitter.com/4xDd5SwvRz
— Kelly Loeffler (@KLoeffler) July 9, 2020

Atlanta players responded via social media on Friday:

pic.twitter.com/CV1wgkbk1E
— Atlanta Dream (@AtlantaDream) July 10, 2020

We've read the letter. We reject the letter. Black lives matter. Vote in November. #BlackLivesMatter #SayHerName #BetOnWomen pic.twitter.com/kPFkPkKiVk
— Elizabeth Williams (@E_Williams_1) July 10, 2020

Despite opposition and backlash, Loeffler remains a co-owner of the Dream heading into the weekend. It's unknown if players plan to otherwise protest Loeffler's involvement with the club and the league moving forward.

Earlier in the week, the Women's National Basketball Players Association called for her removal:

E-N-O-U-G-H!

O-U-T!https://t.co/XgIS2vRb2X
— WNBPA (@TheWNBPA) July 7, 2020

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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