A suburban St. Louis youth football team made up of eight-year-olds knelt during the playing of the national anthem just prior to kick off this past Sunday to protest the acquittal of a white former police officer who shot and killed a black man.
Every member of the Cahokia Quarterback Club football team bent down on one knee during the Star Spangled Banner at Little Devil’s Field in Belleville, Illinois, according to KTVI-TV.
The team decided to kneel in protest after a discussion about the days-long rioting in St. Louis, which was triggered by the controversial acquittal Friday of Jason Stockley.
Stockley is a former St. Louis police officer who in 2011 shot and killed Anthony Lamar Smith, a black man who was suspected to have been involved in a drug deal.
Smith led Stockley and other officers on a high-speed chase.
A suburban St. Louis youth football team made up of eight-year-olds knelt during the playing of the national anthem just prior to kick off this past Sunday to protest the acquittal of a white former police officer who shot and killed a black man
Every member of the Cahokia Quarterback Club football team bent down on one knee during the Star Spangled Banner at Little Devil’s Field in Belleville, Illinois
The team decided to kneel in protest after a discussion about the days-long rioting in St. Louis, which was triggered by the controversial acquittal Friday of Jason Stockley
The ordeal ended when Stockley fired seven shot with his service pistol at Smith, killing him.
On Friday, a judge acquitted Stockley of first-degree murder, igniting days of protest and rioting in St. Louis. At least 123 people have been arrested since Friday.
The Cahokia coach, Orlando Gooden, said the protest grew out of a discussion about the tumult in the news.
‘One of the kids asked me if I saw (people) protesting and rioting in St. Louis. I said yes; I said, “Do you know why they are doing it?”’ said Gooden.
Stockley (left) was aquitted on Friday in the 2011 death of Anthony Lamar Smith (right, with his daughter). Smith had been shot after a high-speed chase
On Friday, a judge acquitted Stockley of first-degree murder, igniting days of protest and rioting in St. Louis. At least 123 people have been arrested since Friday. A man is seen above yelling at police officers in riot gear in University City, Missouri on Sunday
According to Gooden, his player replied: ‘Because black people are getting killed and nobody’s going to jail.’
‘I felt like it was a good teaching moment for me to circle the team and have a meeting,’ the coach said.
Gooden, who played football collegiately at the University of Missouri, said the conversation evolved to a discussion about Colin Kaepernick, the former football star who caused a stir by refusing to stand during the national anthem as an act of protest.
Kaepernick was once considered a rising star quarterback in the NFL, but his subpar play in recent years has relegated him to backup status.
He is currently without an NFL team, leading many to suspect that his political activism has deterred owners from offering him a contract.
‘One of the kids asked, “Can we do that?” I said, “As long as we know why we’re doing it, I don’t have a problem with any of it”.’
So when the national anthem began to play, the youngsters all took a knee.
The team’s coach, Orlando Gooden, said the conversation he had with his players evolved to a discussion about Colin Kaepernick (seen in the center above), the former football star who caused a stir by refusing to stand during the national anthem as an act of protest
Their backs were reportedly turned away from the American flag, though Gooden says it was not a conscious act of protest.
‘What I teach my kids is love, integrity, honesty, fairness, respect, and boundaries,’ he said.
The children’s parents supported the coach’s decision to have his team take a knee.
‘As long as I have support of my parents and team, I’m perfectly fine, and I’m covered under the First Amendment to peacefully protest and assemble,’ Gooden said.