Sports are back — but not without controversy.
After many teams across various sports had their seasons come to a halt amid the coronavirus outbreak, some players are getting geared up for a new season.
During the national anthem on Monday, San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler was seen along with several other players kneeling in protest of police brutality and racial inequality.
Kapler said on Monday, “I wanted them to know that I wasn’t pleased with the way our country has handled police brutality, and I told them I wanted to amplify their voices and I wanted to amplify the voice of the Black community and marginalized communities as well.”
He added that he wants to use his platform “to demonstrate my dissatisfaction with the way we’ve handled racism in our country” and “my dissatisfaction with our clear systemic racism in our country.”
“I wanted them to know that they got to make their own decisions, and we would respect and support those decisions. I wanted them to feel safe in speaking up,” Kapler said.
Kapler also noted that the coaching staff and players have had “meaningful conversations about this topic.”
Watch the videos below:
Members of the @SFGiants kneel during the National Anthem. #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/QbvAvCZiEs
— MLB (@MLB) July 21, 2020
Giants players kneeling during the anthem pic.twitter.com/xT2YkbQ8GS
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) July 21, 2020
The Giants president, Farhan Zaidi, also praised the manager and players, saying he is “proud of our players and staff for continuing to participate in the national conversation about racial injustice.”
On Twitter, the Major League Baseball (MLB) posted footage of the kneeling during the anthem, where it defended the kneeling.
In a tweet in response to a user, the MLB wrote, “It has never been about the military or the flag. The players and coaches are using their platforms to peacefully protest.”
The national anthem is sang for our military not our law enforcement firstly. You kneel you're disrespecting your military. Yes black lives matter, kneeling for the national is showing complete lack of respect for out men and women fighting for your freedom
— Mike G (@Mike25555) July 21, 2020
We stand and put our hands over out hearts, military salutes. We have military planes fly over and field size flags on home opener, bit yeah it's not about the military and flags. Their using their status to influence others.
— Mike G (@Mike25555) July 21, 2020
President Donald Trump — who has been vocal about his disagreement with kneeling during the national anthem — also chimed in.
“Looking forward to live sports, but any time I witness a player kneeling during the National Anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our Country and our Flag, the game is over for me!” the president tweeted early Tuesday.