Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton may be the latest athlete to take part in the controversial “take a knee” protests are happening in the National Football League. Many players in the sport are taking a stand against racially charged police brutality, although the movement has moved more towards a protest against the US President Donald Trump. The protests have not been well-received by fans.
The protests involve either kneeling or locking arms during the national anthem before the game, while other teams have taken it as far as not appearing on the field at all during the national anthem. The movement has been largely fueled by comments made by Trump. The protests have been seen as disrespectful or unpatriotic towards the United States and have gained negative attention from the fans and media.
Reports suggest that Hamilton could join the protest at the 2017 United States Grand Prix on October 22. In an interview with The Times, Hamilton said that he is still undecided as to whether or not he will get involved, but he has expressed his support for those who have made the choice to protest.
Hamilton already stirred up some media attention by posting a controversial Instagram video which depicts a chihuahua performing sexual acts on a Donald Trump doll. The post was eventually removed from his account, believed to be at the request of the team and/or sponsors.
It seems that Hamilton may not have the support of his team and sponsors on this issue. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has already said that, although he respects his driver’s feelings on the political situation, Hamilton needs to rethink his use of social media. If Hamilton were to join the “take a knee” movement, it would likely reflect poorly on the team and sponsors.
