Despite warning from police union, Miami players take a knee
Several players on the Miami Dolphins knelt during the national anthem on Sunday, despite threats from a local police union that security details could stop because of the protests.
Before the game in Foxborough, Massachusetts, against the New England Patriots, Kenny Stills, Michael Thomas and Arian Foster took a knee during the national anthem for the second week in a row. Jelani Jenkins, who knelt last week, decided to stand this time.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
This comes after the local police union asked the Broward Sheriff's Office on Friday to stop providing the team with police escorts until the Miami Dolphins organization forces players to stand for the national anthem.
You May Also Like
"We’ve asked the deputies and the Broward Sheriff’s Office not to do the details anymore," said Jeffery Bell, president of the International Union of Police Associations, Local 6020, according to the Miami Herald.
"I respect their right to have freedom of speech. However, in certain organizations and certain jobs you give up that right of your freedom of speech temporary [sic] while you serve that job or while you play in an NFL game."
The Dolphins players say they were protesting the treatment of African-Americans in this country, especially by police.
"What I want is simple; equal rights and equal opportunities for every single person living in this country," wrote Jenkins last week in TIME.
"[To] stand idly by and witness men and children who look like me being senselessly shot and killed is not an option. No more hashtags. Enough is enough. Racial, social and economic inequality is very real in this country, and it is time for real change with real results."
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started the protests during the pre-season, and has since been joined by many NFL players. On Sunday, before a game against the Carolina Panthers, Kaepernick knelt again, and was joined by five of his teammates.
The quarterback received both praise and jeers from the Carolina crowd.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
So far, the Broward Sheriff’s Office hasn't commented on whether or not it would stop providing security for the Dolphins. (The Broward Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Mashable.)
But it's likely we'll see more players kneel before the second week of NFL regular season play is done.
Keith Wagstaff is an assistant editor at Mashable and a terrible Settlers of Catan player. He has written for TIME, The Wall Street Journal Magazine, NBC News, The Village Voice, VICE, GQ and New York Magazine, among many other reputable and not-so-reputable publications. After nearly a decade in New York City, he now lives in his native Los Angeles.
