Raiders and Redskins protest national anthem

Players on the Oakland Raiders and the Washington Redskins protested the national anthem Sunday night after President Trump attacked NFL players who kneel during the song.

Nearly every member of the Oakland Raiders remained on the bench during the anthem, while Redskins players locked arms and stood in solidarity.

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Raiders owner Mark Davis said in a statement that while he had asked players to not protest in their uniforms before, “the streets have gotten hot and there has been a lot of static in the air and recently, fuel has been added to that fire.”

“I can no longer ask our team to not say something while they are in a Raider uniform. The only thing I can ask them to do is do it with class. Do it with pride,” he said.

“Not only do we have to tell people there is something wrong, we have to come up with answers,” he said. “That’s the challenge in front of us Americans and human beings.”

The Redskins standing in locked arms were joined by owner Dan Snyder on the sidelines. Several players also knelt during the anthem.

The Redskins were joined by owner Dan Snyder and a mix of players kneeling and locking arms. And now…back to football. pic.twitter.com/kF9faLSasN

— Breaking Burgundy (@breakburgundy) September 25, 2017

The Redskins said in a statement released shortly after the anthem that they are “proud of the players, coaches and fans of the Washington Redskins for all that they have done to improve the lives of others in neighborhoods all across our region.”

“We are also grateful for the sacrifices made by the brave men and women of our armed forces that have provided us the freedom to play football,” they said. “In that great tradition, the Washington Redskins will work to address division and bring unity, civility and respect to our greater community.”

The two teams were the latest to protest during the anthem, with players across the league kneeling or standing with locked arms in solidarity. Three teams also chose to remain in their locker rooms during the anthem.

The protests come after President Trump attacked players who kneel during the national anthem, calling them “son of a bitch” and demanding owners fire players who do so.