Joni Mitchell, Kehlani and Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon were among artists wearing “Ice out” and “Be Good” pins at the Grammy Awards 2026 as a statement against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) policies.
Kehlani, 30, cursed Ice in her acceptance speech as she won her first Grammy for best R&B performance for Folded.
“I’ve never won anything before, this is a really crazy feeling,” said Kehlani while accepting the prize. “My first time being nominated for a Grammy was 10 years ago. It’s been a really long time and nobody who has ever come along this journey with me I take for granted.”
“I hope everybody’s inspired to join together as a community of artists and speak out against what’s going on,” Kehlani continued, concluding her speech with, “F**k Ice.”
Vernon, 44, whose group Bon Iver is nominated for Best Alternative Music Album, said he wore a whistle as a tribute to the legal observers documenting the actions of federal agents in the streets.
“I think there’s a reason that music exists and it’s to heal and to bring people together,” he told The Associated Press. “But the real work are those observers on the on the ground in Minneapolis. We just want to shout them out.”
Amy Allen, Rhiannon Giddens and Margo Price were also among the artists wearing the political pins.
Activists spent the week urging celebrities and their teams to wear pins protesting the presence of Ice at events leading up to the ceremony. They handed out pins at multiple gatherings to help spread their message.
That effort appeared to pay off, with organisers noting a stronger show of support at the Grammys than at last month’s Golden Globes, where stars including Mark Ruffalo, Ariana Grande and others showed solidarity by wearing “Be Good” pins.
The demonstrations reflect growing public anger after several controversial encounters between federal agents and civilians – including the fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis late last month, which has sparked nationwide protests and scrutiny of enforcement tactics.
At the Sundance Film Festival last week, numerous celebrities also took visible stands: Natalie Portman, Olivia Wilde and Zoey Deutch wore “ICE OUT” pins on the red carpet, and Deutch paired hers with a “Be Good” pin as well.
Wilde, 41, told the AP she was “horrified by this string of murders that we are somehow legitimising and normalising.”
“It’s really difficult to be here and to be celebrating something so joyous and beautiful and positive when we know what’s happening on the streets,” she said.
“Americans are out on the streets marching and demanding justice, and we’re there with them. And if we can do anything with our platforms, you know, we can speak out and demand that Ice get out.”
Portman became emotional when asked about her “Ice out” pin at the premiere of her new film, The Gallerist.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested more than 650 illegal aliens across West Virginia during a two-week statewide operation conducted in coordination with local law enforcement agencies and without protests, federal officials announced.
ICE said in a press release Sunday that the operation ran from Jan. 5 to Jan. 19 and involved 14 federal, state and local law enforcement partners.
ICE deployed teams to Charleston, Martinsburg, Beckley, Moorefield, Morgantown and Huntington as part of the operation.
Law enforcement officials arrested more than 650 illegal aliens, including individuals ICE said pose threats to public safety and national security, as well as others who entered the country illegally.
ICE officers arrested over 650 illegal aliens in a two-week West Virginia operation.(Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“This operation demonstrates how strong partnerships between ICE and West Virginia law enforcement agencies enhance public safety and the integrity of our immigration system,” ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Philadelphia acting Field Office Director Michael Rose said. “By training and supporting our… partners across the state, we’ve expanded local capacity to identify, arrest and process illegal aliens while ensuring these authorities are exercised professionally and consistent with the law.”
One individual arrested as part of Operation ICE Wall on Jan. 8 was Sagar Singh, a citizen of India. The operation targeted illegal aliens operating commercial vehicles, and Singh was pulled over for failing to stop at a mandatory brake check station.
During the stop, Singh was cited for multiple vehicle infractions, including operating an unsafe commercial vehicle. According to ICE, Singh had previously been ordered removed from the U.S.
ICE officers arrested Sagar Singh, an Indian national previously ordered removed, during Operation ICE Wall after he was stopped for failing to clear a mandatory commercial vehicle brake check.(ICE)
Singh was one of more than 25 aliens arrested under Operation ICE Wall during the two-week enforcement surge.
Another illegal alien arrested during the operation was Ling Yan, a citizen of China also known as Yang Ning, who was previously convicted of two counts of endangering the welfare of children in Ravenna, Ohio.
ICE also arrested a convicted child sex abuser, an individual with drug possession convictions and numerous other offenders during the operation.
On Jan. 11, ICE officers arrested Ling Yan, a Chinese national also known as Yang Ning, who was previously convicted of two counts of endangering the welfare of children in Ohio and has a final order of removal.(ICE)
One of the agencies that worked with ICE was the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, whose top official praised the results of the two-week operation.
“The Sheriff’s Office was impressed with the professionalism and work ethic of the agents and how well they interacted with the citizens and local law enforcement officers,” Jefferson County Sheriff Tom Hansen said. “Working with such a high-caliber group of agents who were assigned to Jefferson County made the decision to support the initiative worthwhile.”
US crayon maker Crayola has pledged to invest millions of pounds in the UK and Ireland as part of plans to double its business in the region, as its boss aims to reignite creativity among children and families in the digital age.
The 120-year-old business, which is a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards, laid out a three-year plan that involves the launch of new products and campaigns to market the brand.
It follows the opening of a new UK office in Woking, Surrey, creating 23 jobs this month.
The multimillion-pound investment in 2026 is set to be repeated in 2027 and 2028 under the Philadelphia-based firm’s strategy.
Chief executive Pete Ruggiero said Crayola “stands among Apple and Google” when it comes to brand recognition.
“The brand is colour, the brand is fun, the brand is trust and safety. Mums, teachers and consumers trust that a child can use our products and not be hurt, that’s very important today,” he told the Press Association.
Crayola’s factory in Philadelphia makes around three billion crayons a year, according to the boss.
Crayons, coloured pencils and markers form about 40% to 45% of the global business, which also sells toys, animated content, digital and live experiences.
Mr Ruggiero said the company had been innovating to keep up with consumers who are “in tune with technology”.
“Consumers, parents and teachers are mindful of the fact that creativity is important… and we’re seeing an increase, actually, in consumption because of that fact,” he said.
“At the same time, we also embrace the fact that screen time is important.”
Crayola hopes that its fresh UK drive will be supported by Government plans to shake up the national school curriculum, which includes efforts to boost the arts and creative subjects.
Mr Ruggiero also told the Press Association that the company was considering shifting its range of products away from stationery aisles in UK shops, in line with the brand’s renewed focus.
“The UK is principally a toy aisle penetration opportunity but we’re not in the toy aisle at Tesco,” he said.
“I want to be wherever it is that a consumer is looking for creativity, fun and colour.”
Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott came together over the weekend to celebrate their children, Stormi and Aire, with a joint birthday party.
The former couple was seen uniting in a video shared on Instagram Saturday, singing “Happy Birthday” to Stormi, who turned 7 on Sunday, and Aire, who celebrates his fourth birthday on Monday.
Jenner, 28, held Aire while singing into a microphone as Scott, 34, stood nearby smiling and recording the moment on his phone.
The celebration turned the venue into a desert-themed space with fake mountains, cacti, and palm trees. Inside, the décor featured custom touches for both kids, including a mock car station called “Aire’s Auto,” signs reading “Planet Aire,” and themed areas named “Stormi World” and “Webster’s Diner.”
Large inflatable figures of Stormi and Aire towered over the space, while two mascots dressed as Labubus entertained guests. The party also featured full-sized carnival rides and an indoor roller-skating rink, where Scott was spotted holding Stormi’s hand as they skated together.
Guests were treated to personalised merchandise, themed desserts, and fun experiences for each child. Despite the family-focused celebration, Jenner’s current boyfriend, Timothée Chalamet, did not appear to be in attendance.
Jenner and Scott were in an on-again, off-again relationship from 2017 until 2022. They welcomed Stormi in February 2018 and Aire in February 2022, before splitting for good later that year amid cheating allegations against Scott, which he denied.
Jenner moved on with Chalamet, 30, in 2023. While Scott later appeared to reference the actor in his 2023 Utopia track Meltdown, the former couple has continued to prioritise co-parenting.
Liam Conejo Ramos is held by his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, while boarding an aircraft to return to Minneapolis, after the pair, who had been detained by immigration officers, were ordered released by a judge from a Texas detention centre, in San Antonio, Texas, US, February 1, 2026, in a still image from video. ABC News via REUTERS. — Reuters
Liam Conejo Ramos, father escorted back to Minnesota by lawmaker.
Federal judge had ordered their release from ICE detention in Texas.
Democrats demand reforms after ICE operations and shootings.
Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father have returned to their home in a Minneapolis suburb after being detained by US immigration officers and held at a detention facility in Texas, a lawmaker said on Sunday.
A federal judge on Saturday ordered the release of Adrian Conejo Arias and his son, whom immigration officers detained during a Minnesota raid.
US Representative Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat, wrote in a social media post that he picked them up on Saturday night at the detention facility and escorted them back to Minnesota on Sunday.
“Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack,” Castro said. “We won’t stop until all children and families are home.”
A photo that went viral last month shows Liam wearing a blue bunny hat outside his house with federal agents standing nearby.
He was one of four students detained by immigration officials in a Minneapolis suburb, according to the Columbia Heights Public School District.
The Ecuadorean boy and his father, who entered the United States legally as asylum applicants, had been held in a detention facility in Dilley, Texas.
US District Judge Fred Biery wrote in a ruling on Saturday that the case had its genesis in “the ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas, apparently even if it requires traumatising children.”
Biery, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, cited the Constitution’s requirement that an arrest warrant must be based on a judge’s finding of probable cause of a crime.
“The use of ‘administrative warrants’ issued by immigration officials is called the fox guarding the henhouse,” he wrote.
Democrats have called for reforms after large-scale enforcement operations in Minnesota and other states, following two deadly shootings of US citizens in Minneapolis involving ICE agents.
Those demands by Democratic lawmakers include mandatory body cameras, the end to roving patrols and halting the use of face masks.
Funding for the Homeland Security Department has been held up as Republicans and Democrats continue negotiating over a DHS bill.
“We’ll be talking about that in the near future,” President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.
Some Republican mayors also see a need for reforms. “We’re generally encouraged that the administration seems to be exploring that pivot,” Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt told CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday.
Mayors are “caught in a little bit of an impossible situation” with federal immigration enforcers’ presence in cities, Holt said, adding events in Minneapolis threaten to erode the trust authorities have built over time with residents in cities.
Holt spoke the day after Trump ordered DHS to refrain from dealing with protesters unless federal property is threatened or local officials request help.
Timothée Chalamet’s ‘One Battle After Another’ wins Film of the Year
Timothée Chalamet’s latest awards-season run gained fresh momentum on Sunday night as One Battle After Another emerged as one of the biggest winners at the 46th annual London Critics’ Circle Film Awards in London.
The film claimed the prestigious Film of the Year honor, capping off a strong night that also saw Paul Thomas Anderson recognised as both Director of the Year and Screenwriter of the Year.
Sean Penn added to the film’s success by winning the supporting actor award, further cementing its dominance at the ceremony.
Chalamet, who happened to be in the British capital over the weekend to take part in Q&A sessions for Marty Supreme, was named Actor of the Year.
It marked a return to the top for the actor, who last won the same honour in 2018 for Call Me By Your Name.
The timing made the win especially fitting, as he balanced awards recognition with promoting his latest work.
On the acting front, Jessie Buckley picked up Actress of the Year for her performance in Hamnet, while Amy Madigan won Best Supporting Actress for Weapons.
Elsewhere, Netflix’s Kpop Demon Hunters also earned recognition, scoring what was described as one of its few major honours in the U.K., despite being ineligible for the BAFTAs.
The evening also included special career honours.
Cynthia Erivo received the Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation, celebrating her wide-ranging body of work across films including Widows, Harriet, Bad Times at the El Royale and the Wicked movies.
Guillermo del Toro was presented with the Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film, recognising his lasting impact on cinema.
The London Critics’ Circle Film Awards are voted on by the 207 members of the Film Section of the Critics’ Circle, the U.K.’s longest-running and most respected critics’ organization, adding extra weight to the accolades handed out.
With One Battle After Another taking home Film of the Year and Chalamet earning Actor of the Year, the ceremony underscored both the film’s critical strength and the actor’s continued standing as one of the most celebrated performers of his generation.
The year’s first major came to a close over the weekend, with Elena Rybakina and Carlos Alcaraz claiming the singles titles at the Australian Open.
For Rybakina, it was a stunning return to form to claim her second career Grand Slam title. The 26-year-old, who experienced some challenges on and off the court following her victory at Wimbledon in 2022, finished the 2025 season with the trophy at the WTA Finals. In Melbourne, she rattled off a series of impressive wins before battling world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday in a rematch of the 2023 final. Ultimately, Rybakina earned a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 statement win and is now back up to No. 3 in the rankings.
As for Alcaraz, Sunday’s 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 victory over Novak Djokovic cemented his status as the best player in the world. Collecting his sixth major trophy at just 22 years old, Alcaraz is now the youngest man to earn the career Grand Slam. And he accomplished it by defeating the sport’s greatest of all time, stopping Djokovic’s bid for a historic 25th Slam title.
Four different women — Madison Keys, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek and Sabalenka — captured the Grand Slam trophies in 2025, with Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner splitting the men’s singles titles for the second straight year. Will a similar trend emerge in 2026? Could there be a first-time champ? And can any man challenge the Big Two?
There are about four months to go before the start of play at Roland Garros. Here’s who should be the top contenders at the rest of the majors in 2026.
Despite falling in the semifinals to Sabalenka in 2025, Swiatek is still a four-time champion at Roland Garros and should remain the favorite until further notice. She struggled on the surface in 2025 — failing to reach a final at any clay event — but there is no one on tour with more success on the Parisian clay, and she should be more motivated than ever after last year’s early exit and two disappointing results at the US Open and the Australian Open.
Of course, Sabalenka will also have no shortage of motivation. She was devastated after losing to Gauff in the 2025 final (and again on Saturday against Rybakina) and would love to win her first major away from a hard court. Having won the 1000-level Madrid Open three times on the surface, including in 2025, she is more than capable of doing that.
Gauff, however, will be looking to successfully defend a major title for the first time. Although she has had some struggles since her triumph in Paris, she has proved to be one of the best on the surface. She reached the 2025 finals in both Madrid and Rome and is nearly impossible to beat when playing her best.
Australian Open semifinalist Svitolina has had a red-hot start to her season. The 31-year-old won the title in Auckland to open 2026 and followed it up with an impressive showing in Melbourne that included top-10 victories over Gauff and Andreeva. She has reached the quarterfinals in Paris five times throughout her career, including last year, and is a seven-time WTA champion on clay. Could this finally be the year she wins her first Slam title? What a story that would be.
Andreeva, the 18-year-old prodigy, is also hoping this might be her turn to achieve the milestone. She reached the semifinals at the French Open in 2024 (and won an Olympic silver medal at Roland Garros in doubles that same year) and has recorded some quality wins at the venue. Andreeva has sometimes faltered in big moments or in tough environments, such as against French relative unknown Lois Boisson in the 2025 quarters, but a major title still feels inevitable for the young star.
The 2025 final between Alcaraz and Sinner was a thrilling, five-set instant classic and the second-longest major final in history. It’s hard to fully put into words how epic the match was and the level displayed by both players.
So, with that said, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where anyone not named Alcaraz or Sinner takes home the trophy in 2026. Alcaraz, the world No. 1, is the two-time defending champion and has arguably been the most consistent on the surface over the past few years. He also won two of the three clay Masters 1000-level titles last season.
And Sinner, perhaps with a little something extra to prove after his early exit at the Australian Open, will be looking to complete the career Grand Slam in Paris. He has only one career clay title but reached the final in Rome last season in his first event back following a three-month suspension, and then advanced to the French Open championship match.
Then there’s Zverev, the 2024 runner-up. He has made the quarterfinals or better in seven of the past eight years and is regularly strong on clay. He pushed Alcaraz to five incredible sets in the semifinals in Melbourne and showed he can play high-level tennis. The French Open remains the three-time major finalist’s best shot at finally winning a coveted Slam title.
Although injuries have plagued him at inopportune times, Musetti certainly needs to be considered among the contenders if healthy. Just a set away from reaching the semifinals in Melbourne before having to retire with leg pain — and having had a similar injury derail him in the semifinals of last year’s French Open — Musetti has shown he can get to the late stages of majors. Now the big questions are: How can he stay in his best shape, and how far can he go?
Wimbledon
June 29-July 12, London
2025 champions: Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner
Top women’s contenders in 2026: Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Amanda Anisimova, Elena Rybakina
Grass remains the most unpredictable surface for the women, largely because of its incredibly short window on the annual calendar. With just three weeks separating the end of the French Open and the start of Wimbledon, most players play in only one or two lead-in tournaments on grass and rarely practice on the surface outside of that time. It can be tricky for many, and the adjustment from the slow clay to the much faster grass is a challenge.
That said, Swiatek found a way to crack the code last year — after several seasons of subpar results at the All England Club — by reaching her first grass final in Bad Homburg and then looking as dominant as anyone at Wimbledon throughout the fortnight. In the final, she needed less than an hour to defeat Anisimova 6-0, 6-0. After that performance, it would be impossible not to include her among the favorites in 2026.
Sabalenka had largely been considered the one to beat at the All England Club last season, and she reached her third semifinals at the tournament before being stunned by Anisimova in a three-set thriller. Although she has never won a title on grass, and Wimbledon remains the only Slam where she is yet to reach the final, she remains the most consistent player at majors and has advanced to the semifinals or better at every Slam she has played since the US Open in 2022.
Few predicted Anisimova would reach the final — her first at a major — in 2025, but boy, did she ever, following another final appearance at Queen’s Club leading in. The tournament was a breakthrough for Anisimova and, despite the lopsided final, propelled her into the top 10 for the first time. With an aggressive game well-suited for grass, she recorded the most wins among WTA players on the surface (12) in 2025 and should be brimming with confidence at the All England Club this summer.
Speaking of confidence, no woman has won more matches since Wimbledon last summer than Rybakina. With such a strong start to 2026, the 2022 Wimbledon champ (and 2024 semifinalist) could reclaim her status as the grass-court queen come July.
Top men’s contenders in 2026: Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz
Sinner and Alcaraz have won the past three Wimbledon titles, with Sinner defeating Alcaraz in the final in 2025. At a place where experience matters, they certainly remain the men to beat.
No one has been more dominant on the surface over the past three seasons than Alcaraz. He has won four titles on grass, including twice at Wimbledon and at Queen’s Club in 2025, and owns a 35-4 career record. The loss to Sinner was his first loss in a final on the surface.
And Sinner, who has reached the quarterfinals or better in four of his five appearances at Wimbledon and is 2-0 in grass-court finals, has clearly figured out his game on the surface. Another final between the two seems likely.
But Djokovic is a seven-time Wimbledon champion and reached the finals in 2023 and 2024. While he came oh-so-close in Melbourne, Wimbledon might be his best chance to finally win his record-setting 25th major title. It won’t be easy, and he has now lost in the previous four majors to Sinner or Alcaraz, but grass could be the most favorable place to reverse the trend in 2026.
Although certainly more of a long shot, don’t count out Fritz either. The American stalwart made his first semifinal appearance at the All England Club last year after two previous quarterfinal runs. He reached the final at the 2024 US Open, but grass seems to suit him best, and he is a five-time ATP champion on the surface, including two titles in 2025. If anyone is capable of a surprise run — and trophy — it’s Fritz.
US Open
Aug. 30-Sept. 13, New York
2025 champions: Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz
It’s impossible to know how players will be performing and feeling so late in the season, as injuries, fatigue and burnout often can be factors. But the top players still tend to find their way to the second week of the tournament, and 2026 should be no different.
Sabalenka is now the two-time defending champion, and she thrives on the energy, the attention and the New York crowd. She was unable to complete the rare three-peat at the Australian Open in 2025 and would relish the chance to do it at the US Open.
Gauff, the 2023 champion, was not at her best at the tournament last season. She struggled with her serve leading up to it and changed her coaching staff just days before play got underway. Despite that, she still reached the fourth round and has found more success since. She reached the quarterfinals in Melbourne, and although she still has moments of vulnerability, no one will have more crowd support than Gauff in New York.
Anisimova, the 2025 runner-up, will also have the crowd on her side. After thrilling wins during last year’s tournament, including over Swiatek and Osaka, she can step up in the big moments and will look to take it one step further in September.
After two-time champ Osaka’s resurgent semifinal run last season, she will be hungrier than ever to get back on top. The 2026 season hasn’t exactly gone to plan so far — she was dealing with an illness during the United Cup and had to withdraw from the Australian Open ahead of her third-round match due to an abdominal injury — but if healthy, she remains dangerous on the hard court.
Although the US Open has seen more expected winners over the past few seasons, it previously had crowned a slew of surprising victors, such as Emma Raducanu in 2021 and Bianca Andreescu in 2019. Could 19-year-old Mboko or 18-year-old Jovic be the latest young star to hoist the trophy in New York? Both have shown flashes of incredible promise and are at career-high rankings, with No. 13 Mboko winning the 2025 Canadian Open and No. 20 Jovic reaching her first major quarterfinal in Melbourne. Both will have more experience by the end of the season. Never say never.
Top men’s contenders in 2026: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton, Learner Tien
Alcaraz defeated Sinner in the final in 2025, and Sinner won it the previous year. Did we mention their collective dominance yet?
Each looked virtually unstoppable during their runs to the championship match last year, and Alcaraz continued that same level of dominance against a surprisingly flat Sinner in the final. At the Australian Open, Sinner showed some vulnerability in a five-set blockbuster loss against Djokovic but Alcaraz was rarely in doubt. After nearly five-and-a-half hours on court in the semifinals, which included injury, vomiting and cramping, Alcaraz still found a way to recover and defeat Djokovic when it mattered most two days later.
Although others can certainly challenge them on the hard court on any given day — they remain the overwhelming favorites for the year’s final major. Shocking, we know.
And if Djokovic, who will then be 39, is still chasing No. 25, he should never be overlooked. He won his last major at the US Open in 2023 and, as he reminded Sinner at the Australian Open, still has what it takes for big wins on the surface.
Djokovic, Alcaraz and Sinner are beloved around the globe, but if any are playing a top-ranked and highly entertaining showman like Shelton, they would likely find the crowd against them. Shelton, who thrives at majors and in front of giant crowds, could capitalize on that opportunity. He never has beaten Alcaraz and has beaten Sinner once in 10 tries (losing in their most recent clash in the Australian Open quarterfinals), but he continues to improve and could be the one to get it done in New York.
Finally, although picking Tien might be more than a little reach at this point, the 20-year-old has shown he can pull off an upset (just ask Daniil Medvedev!) and advanced to the first major quarterfinal of his career in Melbourne. He reached two ATP finals at the end of the 2025 season — his first full year on tour — and even won the Moselle Open. He seems to be getting better and more confident with every tournament he plays.
It’s been almost 23 years since an American man won a major singles title — could Shelton or Tien finally end the drought? Stay tuned.
Tuskegee University men’s head basketball coach Benjy Taylor was taken off the court by police in handcuffs following the team’s loss on the road to Morehouse College on Saturday night.
Taylor and a law enforcement officer were caught on video during the handshake line between the two teams, and they exchanged words.
While Taylor did appear to be frustrated about something, pointing around the gym, the officer clearly didn’t like what was said and took out his cuffs.
Tuskegee Golden Tigers head coach Benjy Taylor during the first half of the All Star-HBCU game against the Morehouse Maroon Tigers at Oakland Arena on Feb. 15, 2025.(Darren Yamashita/Imagn Images)
Taylor, 58, was placed under arrest and escorted off the court in a wild scene.
HBCU Gameday reported that Morehouse football players stepped on the court after the game ended in a loss for their basketball team, and Taylor was confronting security about how to address that.
It was reported that the Morehouse football players were entering the handshake line between the two basketball games.
Furthermore, Tuskegee athletic director Reginald Ruffin said that his head coach was trying to ensure safety protocols were being met, especially considering the rivalry between the two schools.
“You got to intermingle football players asking hands with the team,” Ruffin said. “You don’t do that…that’s a security breach.”
Tuskegee Golden Tigers head coach Benjy Taylor celebrates after defeating the Morehouse Maroon Tigers during the All Star-HBCU game at Oakland Arena on Feb. 15, 2025.(Darren Yamashita/Imagn Images)
Ruffin added that Taylor asked the officer, “Can you please remove them from the line,” but it was met with a hostile response from the officer.
Taylor told The Field of 68 what happened from his perspective.
“I am at a loss for words and I am upset about how I was violated and treated today,” Taylor said in a statement. “For my players, my family and people of Tuskegee to witness that is heartbreaking for me. I was simply trying to get the football team out of the handshake line as they were following right behind me and the team yelling obscenities! It was a very dangerous situation.”
Taylor later had the handcuffs removed from his hands, and he was allowed to leave the arena with his team.
Tuskegee Golden Tigers head coach Benjy Taylor yells during the first half of the All Star-HBCU game against the Morehouse Maroon Tigers at Oakland Arena on Feb. 15, 2025.(Darren Yamashita/Imagn Images)
Taylor is in his sixth season as head coach of the Golden Tigers. His team currently owns a 15-5 record (14-3 in conference) and a perfect 9-0 record at home.
