Wave of protests as players defy Trump
A WAVE of protests swept across the National Football League yesterday as US President Donald Trump escalated his feud with players who kneel during the national anthem to draw attention to racial injustice.
Mr Trump ignited a firestorm of criticism after comments on Friday in which he described NFL players who chose to take a knee through renditions of The Star-Spangled Banner as “sons of bitches” who should be fired. The US leader doubled down on those remarks on Sunday, urging fans to boycott the NFL as long as the protests continued.
“If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend!” Trump tweeted.
Yet players throughout America’s most popular sport took a defiant stance on Sunday, kneeling, linking arms or raising clenched fists during the anthem.
About 130 players could be seen kneeling in the 13 games that took place on Sunday, easily the largest demonstration since ex-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began protesting in 2016.
The first mass demonstration took place at the NFL’s London game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens at Wembley Stadium, where a large number of players from both teams knelt.
In Nashville, neither the Seattle Seahawks nor the Tennessee Titans took to the field to observe the anthem.
“We will not stand for the injustice that has plagued people of this colour in this country,” Seattle players announced before kick-off. In Foxborough, about 15 members of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots took a knee during the anthem.
Star quarterback Tom Brady stood but linked arms with his teammates. Reports said the protests were greeted with scattered boos.
On Saturday, Mr Trump also drew a backlash from NBA stars after cancelling a White House invitation to the champion Golden State Warriors and star Stephen Curry.