Apparent San Francisco 49ers fans are burning Colin Kaepernick jerseys after the quarterback protested “oppression” in the United States by refusing to stand for the “The Star-Spangled Banner” before an exhibition game last week.
Kaepernick was seen remaining seated during the playing of the national anthem before the preseason game against the Green Bay Packers on Friday night.
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Citing race relations and police brutality in the U.S., Kaepernick remained seated during the national anthem sparking outcry over the weekend. On Sunday, he said he will continue his protest until he sees significant progress in the U.S.
“I’m going to continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed,” Kaepernick said Sunday at his locker. “To me this is something that has to change. When there’s significant change and I feel like that flag represents what it’s supposed to represent, this country is representing people the way that it’s supposed to, I’ll stand.”
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It seems his protest has rubbed some 49ers fans the wrong way, as many posted video on social media of themselves burning replicas of Kaepernick’s jersey.
A fan posted a video on Instagram over the weekend of him torching a jersey, telling the quarterback to “move to Canada.”
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“My favourite teams players disrespected our country,” Nate3914 explains in the video. “He did this by not standing up for the national anthem. I’m sorry, listen you ignorant son of a bitch, people die every single day defending that flag that you refused to stand for. And I won’t stand for that,” the social media user said as “The Star-Spangled Banner” plays in the background.
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The fan then pulls out a jersey from his back pocket while a barbecue lighter is seen in his pocket.
“This jersey was the worst $50 investment I’ve ever had. You, Mr. Kaepernick, if you don’t love our country, get the f*** out of it, OK?”
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The fan then tosses the jersey on the ground, squirts some lighter fluid on it, and sets it ablaze.
“You should never play another down in the NFL again. Move to Canada,” the apparent former Kaepernick fan said.
The quarterback said he’s not protesting members of the military or those losing their lives for Americans’ rights and freedoms.
“There’s a lot of things that need to change. One specifically? Police brutality,” said Kaepernick, whose adoptive parents are Caucasian. “There’s people being murdered unjustly and not being held accountable. People are being given paid leave for killing people. That’s not right. That’s not right by anyone’s standards.”
–with a file from the Associated Press.