A man was seen kneeling while the national anthem played during a White House ceremony organized by President Trump after he disinvited the Philadelphia Eagles from the traditional championship celebration on Tuesday.
The unidentified man was spotted kneeling during national anthem at Trump’s “Celebration of America.” He left after the anthem ended and did not comment to press, a Danish reporter who was at the event tweeted. Video footage of the man shows him getting up after the anthem ends.
The man’s kneeling protest comes amid the on-going controversy over whether NFL players can kneel during the national anthem in protest of police brutality. In May, the NFL said it would fine players who choose to kneel on the field during the anthem.
The White House event on Tuesday was held in place of a traditional ceremony where the president welcomes that year’s Super Bowl champions. After several Philadelphia Eagles players said they would not attend the celebration, citing Trump’s consistent criticism of athletes who kneel in protest, Trump said he was disinviting them due to their disagreement with him.
Trump has frequently tweeted criticism of athletes and NFL players who kneel, painting them as unpatriotic and calling for them to be fired.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- Stop Looking for Your Forever Home
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Mahita Gajanan at mahita.gajanan@time.com