Singer of national anthem at Seahawks-Titans game takes a knee

Meghan Linsey was receiving rapturous applause for her performance.

ByABC News
September 24, 2017, 6:38 PM

— -- Meghan Linsey, the singer performing “The Star-Spangled Banner" at Sunday’s Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans game in Nashville, took a knee on a field with no players present after finishing her rendition of the national anthem.

Linsey, a former contestant on "The Voice," was receiving rapturous applause for her performance at at Nissan Stadium when she chose to bend down on one knee -- a move that has become political symbol over the past year and particularly over the weekend after President Trump called for the firing of NFL players who kneel in protest during the anthem.

This afternoon, both the Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans made separate announcements that there will be nobody from either team on the sidelines for the anthem.

"As a team, we wanted to be unified in our actions today. The players jointly decided this was the best course of action. Our commitment to the military and our community is resolute and the absence of our team for the national anthem shouldn't be misconstrued as unpatriotic," the Titan's statement said.

The Seahawks players statement said, "As a team, we have decided we will not participate in the national anthem. We will not stand for the injustice that has plagued people of color in this country. Out of love for our country and in honor of the sacrifices made on our behalf, we unite to oppose those that would deny our most basic freedoms. We remain committed in continuing work towards equality and justice for all."

The protests come in response to the president's comments at a rally Friday night in Alabama when he said: "Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say: 'Get that son of a b---- off the field right now, out."

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