Protests At Hotel Before NFL Owners Open Fall Meetings
NEW YORK (AP) - A pair of protests preceded the opening of the NFL's annual fall meetings, where owners and players are seeking a way to highlight social issues while taking the focus away from demonstrations during the national anthem.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was confronted by two people in the lobby of the Manhattan hotel where the owners are meeting. The protesters shouted at him about white supremacy while Jones was surrounded by bodyguards. Jones stopped to listen but said nothing, and the protesters were peacefully led away.
Outside of the hotel, two dozen supporters of Black Lives Matter New York held a rally backing the players for speaking out - particularly former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the national anthem last year in protest of racial injustice in America.
A group of owners and players met at the league's headquarters Tuesday morning. Among the topics discussed were enhancing the players' platforms for speaking out on social issues, and the league's policy that suggests but does not mandate players standing for the national anthem.
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