This Olympic Silver Medalist Made a Gesture That Could Get Him Arrested or Even Killed

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Ethiopian marathon runner Feyisa Lilesa scored big for his country at the 2016 Olympics, getting a silver medal in the men's marathon by completing the race in two hours, nine minutes, and 54 seconds. But it was the final seconds of his race that attracted worldwide attention - and could land him in jail if he goes back home.
Lilesa raised his hands in an "X" symbol as he finished the marathon. The "X" was a gesture of solidarity with the Oromo people, the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, who have been killed by the hundreds in government crackdowns on protests, according to the Washington Post. Oromo protesters have been speaking out against the government for trying to expand its capital city onto their land and have been using the "X" hand gesture for several months.
"The Ethiopian government is killing my people, so I stand with all protests anywhere, as Oromo is my tribe," Lilesa said at a press conference. "My relatives are in prison, and if they talk about democratic rights they are killed."
Ethiopian television didn't air a replay of Lilesa's big moment, and the government there might react harshly. "If I go back to Ethiopia, the government will kill me," Lilesa told Sports Illustrated. "If not, they will charge me. After that, if they [do] not charge [me], they will block [me] in the airport in immigration. I want to move to another country and try to go to another country."

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