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On 9 October 2017, the satirical web site Freedum Junkshun published a story claiming that professional hockey player J.T. Brown was fired from the Tampa Bay Lighting after engaging in a silent demonstration against extrajudicial killings by police. The story was quickly recycled verbatim by similarly disreputable sites that try to pass themselves off as legitimate. As the national anthem played prior to the Lightning's game against the Florida Panthers on 7 October 2017, Brown raised his fist, evoking the protest carried out by Tommie Smith and John Carlos during the 1968 Summer Olympics. Freedum Junkshun fabricated a quote from the team's owner, Burt Lancaster: The Lightning's actual owner is Jeff Vinik, who bought the team in 2010. The actor Burt Lancaster died on 20 October 1994. In reality, the Lightning released a statement supporting Brown: The fake quote is in line with Freedom Junkshun's satirical motus operandi. The site also contains a disclaimer: However, the story was republished by at least three other sites -- Conservative7, Defense Patriot, and American News -- that do not carry similar disclaimers. Brown first made the gesture prior to a pre-season game on 28 September 2017. After the Panthers game, he explained in a statement that his protest was not about showing disrespect toward the U.S. flag or its military forces: Brown also said that he had been hit with racist remarks and death threats on his Twitter account because of the protest. He has not repeated the protest since the Panthers game, and instead says he is working with the Tampa Police Department and community organizations that aim to foster better relationships between police and communities. Brown also took part in a simulation with the Tampa Police Department's Citizens Police Academy in which he played the role of an officer. Interim Police Chief Brian Dugan said after meeting with Brown:
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