More Americans Refuse to Stand For National Anthem As Protest Widens

A US Navy sailor has reportedly refused to stand for America’s national anthem, joining a burgeoning nation-wide movement protesting the treatment of people of color by police in the United States.

Janaye Ervin, an eight-year Navy Reserve veteran and intelligence specialist, joined a protest made popular by NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, in which the latter refuses to stand when the "Star Spangled Banner" is played. Ervin's decision to not stand, in solidarity with those protesting race-based police violence in the US, resulted in the revocation of her security clearance and the threat of jail.

Military.com reports that another US Navy sailor, whose name was not disclosed, also refused to stand during morning colors. The sailor posted a video online, and Navy officials viewed it August 31.

According to the sailor, the anthem "says land of the free, home of the brave, except for hirelings and slaves and I just can't support anything like that."

The sailors, who could face additional penalties for their actions, join members of the NFL and an increasing number of citizens in the US who prefer to sit, kneel, raise a fist, or join arms with others while the anthem is played.

Kaepernick's high-profile protest sparked criticism, with some saying his behavior is disrespectful of those serving in the military, an allegation he firmly denies.

Additional protest has been sparked by the recent police killings of Terrence Crutcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Keith Lamont Scott in Charlotte, North Carolina, and many earlier deaths of black men and women at the hands of trigger-happy gun-wielding police officers in the United States.