Today marks ten years since Colin Kaepernick initiated his protest against police killings, specifically those of Black people that went unpunished, by kneeling during the national anthem throughout the 2016 NFL regular season. Following this, he did not play in the league again.
Kaepernick articulated his reasons on August 26, 2016, after a preseason game, stating, "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way." He added, "There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."
His protest, which involved 60 seconds of silence, has been described as mild compared to other forms of American protest, such as economic boycotts or marches.