The NWSL is taking a stand. Ahead of the league’s return to action amid the coronavirus pandemic, all 22 starters from the North Carolina Courage and Portland Thorns kneeled during the national anthem while wearing Black Lives Matter t-shirts to protest police brutality.
The NWSL became the first professional sports league to return to action since the coronavirus-related hiatuses.
“We took a knee today to protest racial injustice, police brutality, and systemic racism against Black people and people of color in America,” a statement from the two teams read. “We love our country and we have taken this opportunity to hold it to a higher standard. It is our duty to demand that the liberties and freedoms this nation was founded upon are extended to everyone.”
You can see some of the scenes from the protest below.
Astonishing moment in American Sports. NWSL becomes first American Pro-Team sport to return to action. All 22 players wear Black Lives Matter t-shirts and take a knee during the National Anthem. Breathtaking to witness 🇺🇸🙌 #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/2pELWZ0S3k
— roger bennett (@rogbennett) June 27, 2020
every player on both teams kneeled during the national anthem to kick off the NWSL Challenge Cup pic.twitter.com/5iwkXCQHLA
— SB Nation (@SBNation) June 27, 2020
United States Women’s National Team star Megan Rapinoe shared her thoughts on the protest on social media.
“You love to see it. You love to see these women using their voice, demanding better for America, and for black people and people of color. [Courage] and [Thorns] kneeling in solidarity with [Colin Kaepernick] and [Black Lives Matter],” she wrote.
You love to see it. You love to see these women using their voice, demanding better for America, and for black people and people of color. @TheNCCourage and @ThornsFC kneeling in solidarity with @Kaepernick7 and @Blklivesmatter ✊🏻✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿 pic.twitter.com/8Urlj5FMPn
— Megan Rapinoe (@mPinoe) June 27, 2020
Of course, there were still some people like former United States men’s soccer star Alexi Lalas who took offense to the gesture.
“Now it takes courage to actually stand for the national anthem,” Lalas wrote on Twitter.
It didn’t take long for Lalas to catch heat for his comments.
No. Colin Kaepernick and Megan Rapinoe had real courage. https://t.co/iLEj38UW8L
— Jozy Altidore (@JozyAltidore) June 27, 2020
Imagine being this fragile that some people kneeling in protest of police brutality and in support of many of their families, friends, and teammates that you have to tweet about it to an international audience. #stfu #blacklivesmatter #blm
— Abbey Witzgall (@aewitzgall) June 27, 2020
— Daniel Kobin (@danielkobin) June 27, 2020
I believe.
I believe that.
I believe that you are dumb!— Guy Endore-Kaiser (@GuyEndoreKaiser) June 27, 2020
Bad take, Alexi. Hold on to that L.
