Vice President Mike Pence left the 49ers-Colts game before the national anthem and cited player protest as the reason. Twenty-three 49ers knelt for the anthem at Lucas Oil Field. Pence tweeted: “I left today’s Colts game because @POTUS and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem.”
I left today’s Colts game because @POTUS and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem.
— Vice President Pence (@VP) October 8, 2017
It was yet another chapter in the White House campaign to shame the player protests of the Star-Spangled Banner to draw attention to police brutality, and injustice in communities of color. Former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling for the anthem last year, and has not been signed by an NFL team as a free agent this season.
Protests mushroomed after President Trump advocated for NFL owners to fire players who continue to protest. Trump called players who do protests “Son of B——-.” which prompted a league-wide outcry that included NFL owners.
Pence tweeted earlier that he wanted to attend the game for the festivities honoring former Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.