Artist News Gigs & Festivals

Stevie Wonder ‘takes a knee’ for America

By Andy Malt | Published on Monday 25 September 2017

Stevie Wonder has expressed solidarity for the various NFL players who have been criticised by Donald Trump for kneeling during the US national anthem at American football games. The musician got down on both knees at the Global Citizen Festival in New York’s Central Park on Saturday in protest against the US president.

After San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat and subsequently kneeled as the national anthem was played at his games – in protest at police violence against African-Americans – the symbolic act of defiance has gained momentum among NFL players and beyond. Particularly since Trump criticised this form of protest – which violates a thing called the United States Flag Code – last week.

Speaking at a rally in Alabama, Trump said: “Wouldn’t you love to see these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say: ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out. He’s fired. He’s fired!’ You know, some owner is going to do that. He’s going to say, ‘That guy that disrespects our flag, he’s fired’. And that owner, they don’t know it, [but] they’ll be the most popular person in this country”.

With divergent opinions being expressed on Trump’s comments Stateside, in a game at Wembley Stadium in London yesterday, members from both the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Baltimore Ravens knelt down before kick-off.

Prior to that, back in the US, at the Global Citizen Festival, Wonder said before his performance: “Whenever you need to interrupt hate… stand down bigotry, condemn sexism and find love for all of our global brothers and sisters every day”.

“Tonight, I’m taking a knee for America”, he went on. “But not just one knee, I’m taking both knees, both knees in prayer for our planet, our future, our leaders of the world and our globe”.

Watch Stevie Wonder’s protest here: