Several dozen people rallied Sunday at Morris Brown College in support of unemployed NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick before marching to Mercedes-Benz Stadium ahead of the Falcons’ season-opening game against the Packers. The group chanted “Let him play. Let him play. Let him play.”
Kaepernick, who led the 49ers to the Super Bowl after the 2012 season, found himself at the center of controversy when he opted to take a knee in protest during the playing of the national anthem before San Francisco games last season. He opted out of his contract earlier this year, and has not been hired by an NFL team since.
At the time of his initial social stance, shortly after incidents in Baton Rouge, La., and Dallas in which police discharged weapons and left young African-Americans dead, Kaepernick said, “I am not going stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.”
Sunday’s gathering and march, where several speakers including Ga. Senator Vincent Fort, an Atlanta mayoral candidate shared a bullhorn, was organized by Spelman College junior Mary-Pat Hector, who has served as National Youth Director for the National Action Network.
“I feel like [Kaepernick] is being targeted more so because of his social stance,” Hector said afterward. “I don’t think it’s just about him being a minority, but more so about the cause.”
There were about 80 attendees Sunday, the majority of them minorities, as music from a nearby tailgate party comprised primarily of minorities nearly drown out speakers’ messages.
Hector was instrumental in organizing a similar gathering at the Atlanta University Center last month.
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