Ravens players kneel, pray for ‘unity and justice’ before national anthem

Baltimore Ravens players kneeled before the national anthem on Sunday to pray for “unity, kindness and justice for all Americans.”

The Ravens’ PA announcer asked fans to join them in prayer, and some fans booed as the players kneeled, according to reports.

Before the national anthem, the Ravens took a knee.

Fans booed. pic.twitter.com/yfLecHZYTr

— SB Nation (@SBNation) October 1, 2017

Entire #Ravens team – incl coach John Harbaugh – takes quick knee in prayer BEFORE anthem even close to starting. Still get booed.

— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) October 1, 2017

Both the Ravens and the Steelers stood during the playing of the national anthem at the game in Baltimore.

All teams stood for the anthem. Ravens fans booed their own team for kneeling during the pre-anthem prayer. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/r6OiCQI3UB

— Micah Gelman (@mbgelman) October 1, 2017

Demonstrations continued for a second week following President Trump’s criticism of players who kneel during the anthem, which began last year when then-San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat then later kneeled to protest police brutality and racial inequity in the U.S.

{mosads}Earlier Sunday, three Miami Dolphins players knelt during the anthem before their game against the New Orleans Saints in London.

Trump last weekend posted a series of tweets calling for NFL owners to fire players who do not stand during the anthem and urging the NFL to implement a rule banning players from kneeling. Just a few days earlier, he called any player who doesn’t stand a “son of bitch” during a rally in Alabama.

NFL players and owners responded in force last Sunday, with more than 200 players kneeling or linking arms as the anthem played. Three teams remained in the locker room during the anthem, and several NFL owners joined their teams on the field during the demonstrations.

Trump has continued to call for an end to the protests, tweeting Saturday it was “very important” for NFL players to stand during the anthem. He also said that “standing with locked arms is good” but “kneeling is not acceptable.”