Vice President Mike Pence departed an NFL game Sunday afternoon in response to several players who knelt during the playing of the National Anthem.
Pence and his wife Karen were among the spectators in Indianapolis for a contest between the Colts and San Francisco 49ers. After more than 20 San Francisco players took a knee for the song, he left. He issued a statement on Twitter at 1:08 p.m.—shortly after kickoff—explaining his decision.
"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," he said.
| 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 |
"At a time when so many Americans are inspiring our nation with their courage, resolve, and resilience, now, more than ever, we should rally around our Flag and everything that unites us," he added later in a follow-up statement. "While everyone is entitled to their own opinions, I don't think it's too much to ask NFL players to respect the Flag and our National Anthem. I stand with President Trump, I stand with our soldiers, and I will always stand for our Flag and our National Anthem."
Lastly, he tweeted a picture of him and his wife standing with their hands over their hearts as the anthem was performed.
The Colts players stood with their arms locked during the ceremony. They wore t-shirts that read "We Will" on the front and "Stand for equality, justice, unity, respect, dialogue, opportunity" on the back.
Pence's act was in-line with Trump's position on the contentious cultural issue, though his words, unlike the president's have been, were formal and restrained. Trump has sounded off about kneeling players, infamously calling any of them who do so a "son of bitch" at a rally for Sen. Luther Strange in Alabama two weeks ago. The protests were widespread that weekend and have continued in lesser numbers since.
