It was the only such gesture visible throughout the early games Sunday, as the anthems took on more significance because of the 15th anniversary of September 11 attacks. “What’s going on in law enforcement, it does need to change and it does need to change for everybody, not just us as black Americans”, the Guardian reports.
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Host Seahawks players linked arms during the anthem, including cornerback Jeremy Lane, who had taken a knee at a pre-season game.
Peters, signalled on Friday that he may protest before the game, telling reporters: “I salute Colin for what he’s doing for a great cause”. The players released a statement saying they “decided collectively to lock arms as a sign of solidarity”.
A member of the military holds a giant American flat during the national anthem before the first half of an NFL football game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in Atlanta. Videos from both President Obama, and George W. Bush played before the games, and players wore commemorative 9/11 decals on their helmets. The Seattle Seahawks said last week they planned a demonstration of “unity” when their game against Miami kicks off Sunday afternoon. Me personally, I think when you do things, you have to do it in a unit.
Kaepernick’s 49ers play their opening game against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday evening.
US Vice President Joe Biden was among those holding a huge flag before the Philadelphia Eagles’ home victory over the Cleveland Browns, where a “U-S-A, U-S-A” chant broke out. I feel that over the past year it has been displayed what’s been going on across America and across the world.
Bush was set to perform the pre-game coin toss at Dallas later, accompanied by his wife Laura and two NY police officers who were at Ground Zero in 2001. “It was our goal to be unified as a team and to be respectful of everyone’s opinions, and the remembrance of 9/11”.
The protesting players have been praised as allies of the Black Lives Matter movement, which grew in response to a string of high-profile police killings of unarmed black people across the country.
“I support our players speaking out on issues that need to be changed in society”.
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“What I do believe, though, is the respect for our country, the people who fought for those freedoms and values, the people who protect us here and overseas – those are very important. We’re a patriotic league”.
