Three Miami Dolphins Players Defy Trump Order to Stand During Anthem

Three Miami Dolphins players knelt for the American national anthem before their NFL game in London on Sunday, after U.S. President Donald Trump had said the previous day that it was “very important” that players stood.

Julius Thomas, Michael Thomas, Kenny Stills all knelt during the anthem before kickoff at Wembley Stadium in the game between the New Orleans Saints and Miami.

All Saints players stood for the anthem, locking arms with one another.

On Saturday, Trump posted on Twitter: "Very important that NFL players STAND tomorrow, and always, for the playing of our National Anthem. Respect our Flag and our Country!"

Trump later tweeted video of fans and players standing at an NHL game and wrote: “19,000 RESPECTING our National Anthem!” Other Twitter users posted that the video Trump put up was nearly a year old.

Drew Brees, the New Orleans quarterback, had posted on Twitter earlier in the week that his team would kneel together before the anthem and then stand during it to show “solidarity for all”.

In a gesture initiated last season by then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, several NFL players have routinely knelt on one knee during the playing of the American anthem.

It is intended to call attention to what the protesting players see as a pattern of racism in the treatment of African-Americans by U.S. police.

The three Dolphins players who knelt had also been part of the protest movement last year.

Dolphins owner Steve Ross supported his players who chose to kneel last year and said this week he will continue to do so this season.