U.S. national anthem kneeling protests

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U.S. national anthem kneeling protests
Oakland Raiders players kneeling during anthem in 2017
Date	August 14, 2016–ongoing (7 years, 10 months, 3 weeks and 5 days)
Location	National Football League stadiums
Goals	To raise awareness of racism and police brutality[1][2] Freedom of speech[3]
Methods	Peaceful protest

Beginning in August 2016, some American athletes, most of whom are African American, have protested against systemic racism in the United States by kneeling on one knee while the U.S. national anthem is played.^[4][5][6][7] Beginning in 2017, many players also protested against President Donald Trump's criticisms of those involved in the protest, and some against Trump's policies during his time in office.^[4] Some observers have praised the players' social awareness.^[8] The act itself has become widely referred to as "taking the knee" or "taking a knee".^[9] Right-wing backlash to Black athletes kneeling often includes heavy criticism of the athletes for being "unpatriotic"; internet backlash against the players has raised questions over their right to freedom of speech.^[10]

The protests began in the National Football League (NFL) after San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat and later knelt during the anthem, before his team's preseason games of 2016.^[11] Throughout the following seasons, members of various NFL and other sports teams have engaged in similar silent protests. On September 24, 2017, the NFL protests became more widespread when over 200 players sat or knelt in reaction to Trump's call for owners to "fire" the protesting players.^[12]