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Nov. 2, 2018 / 3:55 AM GMT
By Erik Ortiz
A cheerleader for the San Francisco 49ers appeared to kneel during the national anthem before Thursday night’s nationally televised game against the Oakland Raiders.
The 49ers did not immediately comment about the unidentified cheerleader, but such a sign of protest is believed to be the first time an NFL cheerleader has taken a knee at a game. The 49ers’ owner, Jed York, has been supportive of players who protest.
A wave of controversy over kneeling began in 2016, when then-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt during “The Star-Spangled Banner” to call attention to racial oppression and a string of incidents involving black people being killed by police.
Kaepernick became a free agent after the 2016 season, and currently has a case against the NFL claiming the league’s owners colluded to keep him off a team’s roster following the outrage from some over the protests.
Earlier this year, the NFL threatened fines against teams if a player does not stand during the national anthem, but later halted the plan while the NFL Players Association and league owners agree on a resolution. In the meantime, a small number of players have continued to take a knee or raise their fists before games.
