US police threaten to boycott football games over player's protest
A US police union has threatened to stop providing security at San Francisco 49ers football games because one of its players refused to stand during the national anthem to protest police brutality against African Americans.
The Santa Clara police union declared in a letter to the team on Saturday that if the organization does not take action against its quarterback Colin Kaepernick, "it could result in police officers choosing not to work at your facilities," local press reported.
Kaepernick stated on August 27 that "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color."
"To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder," he added.
According to media reports, the Santa Clara Police Department is the lead police agency at the Levi's Stadium, where nearly 70 officers volunteer to work and are paid as security personnel.
"I'm already hearing it this week that next week on Monday Night Football, some officers are not going to work," union president Frank Saunders announced as quoted in local news reports.
Officers are reportedly upset about Kaepernick's recent remarks that officers "murder minorities" and that he wore socks during practice that depict pigs in police uniforms.
"The 49ers are allowing this to come out from an employee and it's making for a hostile work environment for us at the stadium," Saunders said.
This is while the team has stood behind Kaepernick's decision not to stand during the national anthem.
"In respecting such American principles as freedom of religion and freedom of expression, we recognize the right of an individual to choose to participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem," the club said in a statement.
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