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Take a knee: Dozens of NFL players stage biggest protest yet in response to Donald Trump comments Take a knee: Dozens of NFL players stage biggest protest yet in response to Donald Trump comments
(35 minutes later)
Around two dozen NFL players knelt while the American national anthem played at Wembley Stadium in London, defying Donald Trump after he suggested players who take a knee during the anthem should be fired. Around two dozen NFL players knelt while the American national anthem played at Wembley Stadium in London, defying Donald Trump after he suggested players who take a knee during the anthem should be fired. 
Over the weekend, Mr Trump has repeatedly denounced such protests by athletes, verbally attacked two of the world's most powerful sports leagues and seemingly uninvited the NBA champion Golden State Warriors from the traditional White House visit for league victors. Over the weekend, Mr Trump has repeatedly denounced such protests by athletes, verbally attacked two of the world's most powerful sports leagues and seemingly uninvited the NBA champion Golden State Warriors from the traditional White House visit for league victors. 
Among the players who took a knee at the matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars were Ravens' linebackers Terrell Suggs and CJ Mosley, wide receiver Mike Wallace and safety Lardarius Webb. Jaguars' running backs Leonard Fournette and Dante Fowler, defensive tackle Calais Campbell, defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and cornerback Jalen Ramsey also kneeled. Among the players who took a knee at the matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars were Ravens' linebackers Terrell Suggs and CJ Mosley, wide receiver Mike Wallace and safety Lardarius Webb. Jaguars' running backs Leonard Fournette and Dante Fowler, defensive tackle Calais Campbell, defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and cornerback Jalen Ramsey also kneeled. 
Players on both teams and Jaguars owner Shad Khan, who were not kneeling, remained locked arm-in-arm throughout the national anthem and "God Save The Queen."Players on both teams and Jaguars owner Shad Khan, who were not kneeling, remained locked arm-in-arm throughout the national anthem and "God Save The Queen."
No players were kneeling during the British national anthem. No players were kneeling during the British national anthem. 
While speaking in Huntsville, Alabama on Friday night, Mr Trump employed an expletive to refer to athletes who sit or kneel during the anthem, a movement that began last year when Colin Kaepernick, then a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, began doing so to highlight, as he has said, police brutality and racial injustice.  While speaking in Huntsville, Alabama on Friday night, Mr Trump employed an expletive to refer to athletes who sit or kneel during the anthem, a movement that began last year when Colin Kaepernick, then a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, began doing so to highlight, as he has said, police brutality and racial injustice.  
“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a b**** off the field right now. Out! He’s fired. He’s fired!’” Mr Trump said at a rally for Republican senator Luther Strange, who is running in a special election next week to remain in the seat vacated by attorney general Jeff Sessions.“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a b**** off the field right now. Out! He’s fired. He’s fired!’” Mr Trump said at a rally for Republican senator Luther Strange, who is running in a special election next week to remain in the seat vacated by attorney general Jeff Sessions.
“You know, some owner is going to do that. He’s going to say, ‘That guy that disrespects our flag, he’s fired.’ And that owner, they don’t know it [but] they’ll be the most popular person in this country.”“You know, some owner is going to do that. He’s going to say, ‘That guy that disrespects our flag, he’s fired.’ And that owner, they don’t know it [but] they’ll be the most popular person in this country.”
Mr Trump's comments drew a strong rebuke from several athletes and the commissioner of the NFL, Roger Goodell, who called the remarks “divisive”.  Mr Trump's comments drew a strong rebuke from several athletes and the commissioner of the NFL, Roger Goodell, who called the remarks “divisive”. 
The President fired back on Twitter: “Roger Goodell of NFL just put out a statement trying to justify the total disrespect certain players show to our country.Tell them to stand!” The President fired back on Twitter: “Roger Goodell of NFL just put out a statement trying to justify the total disrespect certain players show to our country.Tell them to stand!” 
More follows... Mr Trump continued his attack on Sunday morning, saying that “if NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast.”
“Fire or suspend!” he added, before going on to declare that NFL attendance and ratings are “WAY DOWN”, suggesting that many fans don't attend games because of players' decisions to kneel during the national them. 
“Boring games yes, but many stay away because they love our country. League should back U.S.,” Mr Trump said. 
The President has also suggested the league's drop in TV ratings is the result of referees trying to limit rough tackles, as the NFL struggles to make the game safer in light of reports that players have been found to have severe brain injuries following numerous hard hits. 
“Today if you hit too hard –15 yards! Throw him out of the game!” he said on Friday, adding: “They’re ruining the game! That’s what they want to do. They want to hit. They want to hit! It is hurting the game.”