ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Rock Island High School students brought flags from different countries to Tuesday night's soccer game to support a student athlete after a racial bias incident that happened Thursday, Sept. 16.
Varsity soccer player Gabriel Albarran was wearing a Mexican flag to celebrate Mexican Independence Day when getting on a bus to a game when the Tri-State Travel bus driver told him to take off the flag and to go back to his country, Albarran said.
"As soon as I heard that, I was automatically angry," said Albarran.
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Rock Island High School head soccer coach Rudy Almanza said it was his players that inspired him to stay calm during the incident.
"For (the players) to keep calm and composed throughout the whole conversation explaining what happened and how in depth it was and how serious it was," said Almanza, "I mean, that's what helped me get up to that bus driver and talk and be the same way for them."
After the incident, students at the high school said they wanted to support Albarran and show solidarity.
"I think it's important to come out and support him because we're like a big family and just a part of the same community and culture," junior Ninel Lopez said.
Albarran said he's grateful for the support his peers have shown him.
"I feel really honored, but also feel really grateful because without them, this would have gone nowhere," said Albarran. "It would have been just another incident."
The soccer team never made it to the game that was scheduled on Sept. 16. The game has been postponed for later this season, Almanza said.
The bus driver was terminated from Tri-State Travel.