Image copyright
EPA
Colin Kaepernick (C) was later joined by other players in his kneeling protest
The US Navy Seals are investigating after footage emerged of military dogs attacking a “stand-in” wearing a Colin Kaepernick shirt at an event last year.
The video was reportedly taken at the National Navy Seal Museum in Florida in 2019, but went viral this weekend.
The Navy Seals said it was “completely inconsistent” with its values.
Kaepernick, a former NFL quarterback, began kneeling in 2016 during the national anthem before games to protest against racial injustice.
- ‘We were wrong’: NFL to allow players’ protest
Several clips posted on Twitter on Sunday show a target wearing the red Kaepernick jersey being attacked by a number of military dogs.
In one video, the man appears to say “Oh man, I will stand” after being brought down by the dogs, drawing laughter from the crowd.
“We became aware today of a video of a Navy Seal Museum event posted last year,” the Navy Seals said in a message posted on Twitter.
“The inherent message of this video is completely inconsistent with the values and ethos of Naval Special Warfare and the US Navy.
“We are investigating the matter fully and initial indications are that there were no active duty Navy personnel or equipment involved with this independent organisation’s event.”
The museum is a nonprofit organisation that was founded in part by a retired Navy Seal captain in 1981 and has retired Seal members on its board.
Last year’s incident is not the first time the museum has apparently referenced the Kaepernick protest. Video of an annual event in 2018 shows a mock encounter where a vehicle with the words “Take a knee eh Nike” on its side is fired upon.
Who is Colin Kaepernick?
Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem when he was a player for the San Francisco 49ers.
He faced a strong backlash and has remained unsigned for several years.
Only this year did the NFL reverse its opposition to players taking a knee during the anthem.
The decision came amid global protests over the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, while in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Media playback is unsupported on your device