Those who attended football games Sunday expressed their displeasure with players who protested the Star Spangled Banner. New England Patriots fans booed members of the football team who followed former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s lead and kneeled in protest of the national anthem.
WATCH: Patriots fans boo their team during anthem protest in wake of Trump’s comments. More from @arniestapleton: https://t.co/5dfjstwRJs pic.twitter.com/kvLmSzG28w
— AP NFL (@AP_NFL) September 24, 2017
Patriots fan Frank Vessella told the Associated Press, “It’s disrespectful to the United States and to men who served and fought for this country. It’s a disgrace. They should be standing. I like what the president said. If you’re not gonna stand for this country, you’re fired. Bellichick and Gronkowsi should do something about it. They should fire’em. That’s what they should do.”
President Donald Trump on Friday criticized professional football players who demonstrated against the national anthem saying that owners should fire them, and that fans should leave the stadium if the protests happen.
National anthem: About 20 Patriots kneel. Also, Tom Brady stood, hand over chest, w/ arms locked w/ Phillip Dorsett, Matthew Slater, others
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 24, 2017
The Patriots protest followed another demonstration against the Star Spangled Banner Sunday in London when members of the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars kneeled during the playing of the anthem.
Fans of the Buffalo Bills did not take kindly to the protest against the anthem either. According to Politico NY, Bills fans booed any player on the field who kneeled during the anthem and began chanting “U-S-A.”
Bills fans loudly boo players who are kneeling; begin a U-S-A chant pic.twitter.com/knzwVxClLJ
— Bill Mahoney (@mahoneyw) September 24, 2017