CHICAGO — Military veterans will speak out against football player Colin Kaepernick before the Bears-49ers game this weekend.
Former Ald. Jim Balcer (11th) will hold a news conference about Kaepernick at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Chicago Police Memorial to the east of Soldier Field. He is expected to be joined by veterans to show that they "do not like the fact of [Kaepernick] not stand[ing] during the national anthem," according to a news release.
Kaepernick, a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, will be at Soldier Field for a noon matchup with the Bears the next day. The quarterback has gained national attention for kneeling during the national anthem, saying he did it in protest because people of color are oppressed in the United States.
Earlier this year, Balcher pushed for an ordinance requiring everyone to observe the national anthem.
Kaepernick recently donated to the Black Youth Project 100, according to the Sun-Times. The organization, which has an active chapter in Chicago, is dedicated to "creating justice and freedom for all black people," according to its website.
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