Colin Kaepernick Protests national anthem again, is joined by temmate

Colin Kaepernick protests national anthem again, is joined by teammate

Frank Schwab

Shutdown Corner editor

September 2, 2016

Colin Kaepernick took a knee for Thursday’s national anthem, arms folded, expressionless. This time, he had company. He was joined by one of his teammates, and a Seattle Seahawks player a few hours up the California coast who was protesting as well.

Kaepernick didn’t stand for the national anthem before the San Francisco 49ers’ preseason finale at the San Diego Chargers. Kaepernick said last Sunday he wouldn’t stand for the national anthem, a protest he started during the 49ers’ first three preseason games. Kaepernick said he is protesting racial injustice in the United States, and police brutality in particular.

“I’m not anti-American. I love America. I love people. That’s why I’m doing this,” Kaepernick said. “I want to make America better. I think having these conversations helps everybody have a better understanding of where everybody is coming from. And those conversations are important to have, because the better we understand each other, the better we know each other, the better we can deal and communicate with each other, which ultimately puts everybody in a better position.”

49ers safety Eric Reid, who was not in uniform because many starters don’t play in the fourth preseason game, took a knee next to Kaepernick during the anthem. After the game Reid said it was Kaepernick’s idea to take a knee and not sit, because it showed more respect” to the anthem and the military.

“It was amazing,” Kaepernick said in his postgame news conference, which was broadcast on NFL Network. “We wanted to make sure the message we’re trying to send isn’t lost with the action that’s coming along with it.”

Kaepernick said he’d probably continue to take a knee, and “as far as how long this goes, I’m not sure.”

Reid hugged Kaepernick when the anthem was over, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News said many teammates and Nate Boyer, a former University of Texas long snapper and Green Beret, hugged Kaepernick after the anthem. Boyer this week supported Kaepernick’s right to protest during the anthem and tweeted out a photo of him and Kaepernick together on Thursday.