Chiefs’ Peters raises fist during national anthem

Peters’ gesture was the only one visible throughout the early games Sunday, as the anthems took on more significance because of the 15th anniversary of September 11 attacks.

But there still was a protest, a player who chose to set himself apart from the rest as means of pointing out the issues of injustice that remain in this nation.

A handful of NFL players joined San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s controversial protest against racial inequality on Sunday, the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks – kneeling or raising fists during the U.S. national anthem.

Being at the end of the lineup, Peters had the freedom to make a statement with his unlocked arm.

Peters said on Friday that he “salutes” Kaepernick’s cause and is 100 percent behind him.

The Kansas City players released a statement explaining their demonstration, which may or may not have been ripped off from the Seahawks, saying, “After having a number of thoughtful discussions as a group regarding our representation during the National Anthem, we decided collectively to lock arms as a sign of solidarity”.

The national anthem dissent that began with Kaepernick sitting, then kneeling, to protest what he cited as oppression of blacks and minorities has taken on a life of its own. Their move appears similar to what the Seahawks players plan for their game later Sunday. “It was our goal to be unified as a team and to be respectful of everyone’s opinions, and the remembrance of 9/11”.

Along with Kaepernick, a small number of other National Football League players have also knelt during the anthem.

Kaepernick has said he is protesting against racial discrimination and police brutality in the United States in the wake of a series of high-profile fatal shootings of black men by law enforcement – most often by white police officers. I feel that over the past year it’s been displayed what’s been going on across America and over across the world. Cruz said recently that he believed players have “got to respect the flag”. But Peters still made his point.