More Athletes Across Country Take A Knee Supporting Right To Protest

DETROIT (WWJ) - The showing of support continued in major league and even high school sports in support of Colin Kaepernick's silent, non-violent protest during the national anthem to protest racial injustice.

Several athletes, including a handful of NFL players, have refused to stand during "The Star-Spangled Banner" to protest of the treatment of blacks by police. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who started the trend last year when he played for the San Francisco 49ers, hasn't been signed by an NFL team for this season.

On Friday, during a stop in Alabama to support fellow Republican Sen. Luther Strange, Trump said the protests were, "a total disrespect of our heritage. That's a total disrespect of everything that we stand for," calling for owners to act.

"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you'd say, 'Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He's fired," Trump said to loud applause.

LeBron James took to Twitter multiple times to voice his protest as Trump increased the volume on social media by dis-inviting Stephen Curry and eventually the entire Golden State Warriors team to the White House.

Trump also predicted that any owner who followed the presidential encouragement would become "the most popular person in this country" — at least for a week.

The Oakland Athletics released a statement on Twitter shortly after Maxwell took a knee during the national anthem.

(Caution: Contains strong language) Maxwell tweeted a response to Trump's calling NFL players who protest by taking a knee.

Seahawks President Peter McLoughlin also had a message: