The Brainerd Panthers football team made a decision several days ago to display a black power symbol during the playing of the national anthem before Friday night’s football game at Marion County.
According to the team’s coach, Brian Gwyn, who told the Times Free Press he discussed it with his players, the thought was to “make a statement” that “there is still racism in our country, and we need to shed light on it.”
The move was meant to be in solidarity with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has chosen to kneel during the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” before his team’s National Football League games this season for what he perceives as racial inequality and police brutality.
The Brainerd team’s decision, Gwyn said, was for players to bow their heads and place their closed fists over their hearts as the anthem was played. It was similar to the political demonstration United States track athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos made after winning gold and bronze medals, respectively, in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. As the national anthem was played, the athletes turned to face their flags, raised a black-gloved fist and kept it up until the song ended.
On Friday morning, Principal Uras Agee said there would be no protest and that “Gwyn stands alone” in “some of the things that were said.” Later Friday, interim Superintendent Kirk Kelly said neither Agee nor Brainerd players knew anything about the idea before Gwyn mentioned it to the Times Free Press.