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Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters has raised his fist during a performance of the US national anthem, apparently in solidarity with other National Football League players trying to draw attention to racial inequality.
San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick began the protests against injustice and police brutality when he refused to stand for “The Star-Spangled Banner” during preseason games, at first choosing to sit on the bench and then later kneeling on one knee in a gesture that has divided fans.
Other players have followed suit, including Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall ahead of Thursday’s season opening win against the Carolina Panthers.
The gesture on Sunday by the 23-year-old Peters, who is African-American, recalled the raised fist demonstration by black athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos during their medal ceremony at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.
The rest of the Chiefs team stood with interlocked arms during the anthem before their season opener against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, which is also the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
The team said they decided to lock arms as a sign of solidarity after having a number of “thoughtful discussions” as a group about how to behave.
“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 team said in a statement.
“It’s our job as professional athletes to make a positive impact on our communities and to be proactive when change is needed.”
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. About two-thirds of NFL players are black.
The protests have also provoked anger in some fans who see the gesture as disrespecting the US flag, the military, and the country in general.
To mark the 15th anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks, the league said it will play videotaped messages from President Barack Obama and his predecessor, George W. Bush, before each game, and a 9/11 decal will be placed on players’ helmets.
Kaepernick’s 49ers play their opening game against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday evening.
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