Associated Press
NEW YORK — A visit by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick to New York’s Rikers Island jail facility has drawn a rebuke from the union representing city correction officers.
Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem last season to protest racial inequality and police brutality, leading to protests by other NFL players and repeated criticism from President Donald Trump.
The head of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association tells the Daily News that Kaepernick’s presence at Rikers on Tuesday will encourage inmates to attack jail guards. Union leaders note Kaepernick has worn socks depicting police as little cartoon pigs.
Department of Correction spokesman Peter Thorne says the purpose of Kaepernick’s visit was to “share a message of hope and inspiration.”