American football stars took a knee in defiance of Donald Trump at Wembley Stadium after he said sportsmen who ‘disrespect America’ should be ‘fired’.
Players from both Jacksonville Jaguars and the Baltimore Ravens dropped to their knees as the national anthem was played prior to the match in London.
Now similar protests have erupted across the US with at least 100 players either kneeling or sitting during the national anthem.
No players were kneeling during the playing of ‘God Save The Queen’ at Wembley, which followed the Star Spangled Banner.
They did so after President Trump stoked tensions by saying NFL players who protested during the national anthem should be sacked by their team.
At a rally on Friday night the president said: ‘Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bi*ch off the field right now… he is fired.’
Players from both Jacksonville Jaguars and the Baltimore Ravens defied him on Sunday by dropping to their knees as the national anthem was played prior to the match in London, and other players in the US have taken the same route by either kneeling or sitting, locking arms in solidarity, or staying in their locker rooms during the national anthem.
It went from just 10 players kneeling during national anthem to 200 players kneeling or locking arms after in solidarity Trump asked for the firing of NFL players for protesting.
Here’s a list of how NFL teams have protested against Trump’s statement.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Stayed in their locker room until after the anthem.
Baltimore Ravens & Jacksonville Jaguars: Two dozen players took a knee, while remaining players and Jaguars owner Shad Khan remained locked arm-in-arm.
New Orleans Saints: More than a dozen players sat during the anthem.
Denver Broncos: More than half the team knelt during the anthem
Buffalo Bills: A handful of players either sat or knelt.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson knelt with the rest of the team locking arms.
Minnesota Vikings: The team locked arms during the anthem.
New England Patriots: At least 20 Patriots players were spotted kneeling as Tom Brady linked arms with his teammates.
Miami Dolphins: Players linked arms as a team, including owner Stephen Ross. Four players also took a knee. Several players also wore ‘#ImWithKap’ T-shirts during warm-ups.
Philadelphia Eagles: Players locked arms with servicemen. Two players also raised their fists.
Atlanta Falcons: The entire team locked arms as two players took a knee.
Cleveland Browns: At least 20 players took a knee and all teammembers linked arms.
Chicago Bears: The Bears did not kneel but many did link arms.
Indianapolis Colts: Several players took a knee while the majority linked arms.
Houston Texans: Players linked arms alongside each other.
New York Jets: The players all linked arms.
Buffalo Bills: Several players knelt for the anthem, while others stood behind them with their hands on their shoulders.
Detroit Lions: Eight players took a knee in protest. The anthem singer took a knee after singing and raised his fist.
New York Giants: They linked arms but for the first time had players kneel during the anthem.
