Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick on Sunday praised the three Miami Dolphins players who silently protested during the national anthem.
“My Brothers @kstills and @ithinkisee12 continue to show their unwavering strength by fighting for the oppressed! They have not backed down, even when attacked and intimidated. Their courage will move the world forward!” Kaepernick said in a Twitter post.
“Love is at the root of our resistance.”
Dolphins wide receivers Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson knelt during the anthem, while teammate Robert Quinn raised a fist. The three were the first to demonstrate this NFL season.
Kaepernick, who opted out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers in 2017 and has yet to be signed as a free agent, started kneeling during the anthem in 2016 to protest racial inequalities in America and police brutality. The 30-year-old has since sued NFL owners for colluding to keep him out of the league.
Stills followed Kaepernick’s lead, and continues to kneel.
The demonstrations have been a source of heated debate over the last two years, with President Donald Trump last year interjecting and demanding that players who knelt be fired. League owners in May approved rules that would force players to stand on the sideline or remain in the locker room during the anthem and teams with players who did not comply with the new policy would be subject to league fines.
The NFL is reportedly expected to wait until after the conclusion of this season to implement the new policy.
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