Ravens Owner Steve Bisciotti: ‘We Respect And Support Our Players’ Right To Protest Peacefully’

At least half of the Ravens’ players knelt during the national anthem before their 38-6 win against the Browns Sept. 13. Head coach John Harbaugh and some players stood, while a few remain seated on the bench.

Harbaugh had said earlier in the week that he would leave the decision on how to approach the anthem to each player.

In a statement released by the team during the game, owner Steve Bisciotti said, “We respect and support our players’ right to protest peacefully. This was a demonstration for justice and equality for all Americans. These are core values we can support.

“This was not a protest against our country, the military or the flag,” Bisciotti’s statement continued. “Our players remain dedicated to uplifting their communities and making America better. They have proven this through substantive action. They are committed to using their platform to drive positive change, and we support their efforts.”

Defensive end Calais Campbell said, “A lot of players on this team are really passionate about the community, about our backgrounds and where we come from. … We’re not protesting the flag. We’re not protesting America. We’re not protesting anything like that. It’s just injustice in our community. And so this was an opportunity for us to use this platform to try to effect change.”

Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox

Bo Smolka

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