Miami Dolphins wide receivers Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson knelt during the national anthem. Defensive end Robert Quinn raised his right arm with a clenched fist. Those acts before the first preseason games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were enough for one union to urge fellow police officers to boycott the team and the entire National Football League.
According to the Miami Herald, the Broward County Police Benevolent Association is calling its union, and all other South Florida police officers, to stay away from games after the anthem protests at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
The anthem protests have certainly garnered plenty of attention and headlines, and there is no sign of it slowing down anytime soon, either. And in this case, BCPBA Vice President Rod Skirvin told the newspaper the protests for police brutality and racial inequality are "disrespectful and disgusting."
"It's a slap in the face," Skirvin explained to the Miami Herald. "We have a lot of police officers in the county who are ex-military. It's not just a slap in the face to our military — past and present — but to all law enforcement officers across the country. As long as the protest continues, we will protest our attendance at the Dolphins games and continue to stay away from the NFL and its products."
It's unfortunate, too, because the BCPBA offered its members discounts to attend games this season.
The Broward County PBA recently offered our members discounts to a Miami Dolphins game because that franchise said they were going to honor all First Responders. We entered into this partnership with the understanding that the Dolphins organization would require their players to stand for the National Anthem. This did not happen at last night's preseason game against Tampa Bay. As a result, the BCPBA will no longer participate in this ticket program, and we are asking all of our members, as well as members of the Dade County PBA and Palm Beach County PBA, not to participate either. If you have already purchased tickets to this game, we encourage you to call the Dolphins ticket office to request a refund because this organization obviously DOES NOT honor First Responders and the dangers they put themselves in every day.
Only time will tell what happens next, or which Dolphins players kneel during the national anthem in the next preseason game at Carolina, but as long as they do, there is no doubt the Broward County Police Benevolent Association will not be in attendance.
