Wembley Stadium is Tottenham's home this season, which means it's a place where you can see plenty of player protests — usually to match officials over a questionable call.
But Sunday saw a different type of football, and a different type of protest, at the famed stadium.
The NFL contest between the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars saw widespread protests of U.S. President Donald Trump during the American national anthem. Many players took a knee during the anthem, while others locked arms along with coaches.
Jaguars owner Shahid Khan, who also owns Championship side Fulham, joined his players in locking arms on the field during the anthem, before the Jaguars won 44-7 over the Ravens.
Unity pic.twitter.com/wSNsc4BSEV
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) September 24, 2017
Kneeling during the national anthem before sporting events has been a point of debate since former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick did so last season to bring attention toward police violence against minorities.
He was later joined by U.S. women's national team star Megan Rapinoe, who protested before games for the national team. The U.S. Soccer Federation later banned such protests for players representing the national teams.
Kaepernick remains without a team this season, but a few players had continued the protest during the first two weeks of the NFL season.
The situation grew more controversial when Trump on Friday called any player who protested during the anthem a "son of b****" and called upon NFL owners to punish players who did so.
That, combined with Trump attacking NBA star Stephen Curry on Twitter on Saturday, lead to condemnation of Trump on social media, including from NBA star LeBron James. In addition, the NFL commissioner, the head of the NFL Players Association and multiple NFL teams released statements in support of the league and its players.
Among the statements was one from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who also owns the New England Revolution of MLS.
Statement from #Patriots Chairman & CEO Robert Kraft: pic.twitter.com/f5DJeK0Woj
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 24, 2017
Responding on Twitter later Sunday, Trump applauded the idea of protests by linking arms rather than taking a knee.
Great solidarity for our National Anthem and for our Country. Standing with locked arms is good, kneeling is not acceptable. Bad ratings!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2017
In addition to the protests at Wembley, NFL teams across the league took some form of kneeling or locking arms. The Seattle Seahawks refused to come out of their locker room during the anthem, releasing a statement that said the players "will not stand for the injustice that has plagued people of color in our country."
