China bans Celtics games after Enes Kanter’s ‘brutal dictator’ tweet

Following Enes Kanter’s posts connected societal media successful enactment of escaped Tibet – successful which helium called Chinese president Xi Jinping a “brutal dictator” – Celtics games person been pulled from the Chinese internet, according to a New York Times report.

According to the Times, Boston games were unavailable for replay done Tencent, the streaming spouse of the NBA successful the country, and upcoming games won’t beryllium streamed either. The 76ers – employers of Daryl Morey, who acceptable disconnected a firestorm 2 years agone for tweeting successful support of pro-democracy protests successful Hong Kong – are besides connected Tencent’s blacklist.

During the fallout from that 2019 incident, Morey was criticized by members of the league who person concern interests successful China, including LeBron James, who called him “misinformed” and “not educated astir the situation.” Morey and the NBA apologized aft the incident, creating backlash successful the US.

Kanter has a past of activism, having spoken retired against Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He has said successful the past that Turkish agents mightiness termination him overseas, and his Turkish passport has been revoked.

Enes Kanter connected the tribunal with the CelticsGetty Images

In summation to posting the video, Kanter besides tweeted a representation of shoes with “Free Tibet” emblazoned connected the side, calling attraction to the self-immolation of implicit 150 Tibetans. In the video, wearing a garment with a representation of the Dalai Lama, Kanter called retired a “cultural genocide” successful Tibet.

“I say, ‘Shame connected the Chinese government,’ ” helium said. “The Chinese dictatorship is erasing Tibetan individuality and culture.”

A Celtics instrumentality relationship connected Weibo, a fashionable Chinese societal media platform, with implicit 600,000 followers posted that it would halt giving updates connected the squad due to the fact that of the incident.

“Resolutely defy immoderate behaviour that undermines nationalist harmony and the dignity of the motherland!” the station said.

China has ruled Tibet since 1950, and has imprisoned radical calling for independence.

“Brutal dictator of China, Xi Jinping, I person a connection for you and your henchman,” Kanter said successful the video. “Free Tibet, escaped Tibet, escaped Tibet.”