They're not going to scare us: Saluki cheerleaders who knelt during national anthem subject of ...

‘They’re not going to scare us’: Saluki cheerleaders who knelt during national anthem subject of death threats

CARBONDALE — Three Southern Illinois University cheerleaders say they faced a barrage of threatening comments on social media after they took a knee in protest of police brutality during the national anthem at a Saluki football game last month.

In an interview last week, Alaysia Brandy, Ariahn Hunt and Czarina Tinker said they were startled by the vitriol that followed their decision to kneel during the anthem at the Sept. 30 SIU vs. University of Northern Iowa game in Saluki Stadium.

On Saturday, during the national anthem before the Salukis' Homecoming game against Illinois State, the cheerleaders knelt again. The reaction was mixed Saturday, with some fans yelling at the cheerleaders to stand up. Others praised the cheerleaders. There was also a group in the student section at Saluki Stadium who stood with their fists raised during the anthem.

Last year, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem to protest social injustice and police mistreatment of black Americans, and the practice has caught on among professional football players. President Donald Trump has condemned the protests on Twitter.

Read more: http://thesouthern.com/news/local/siu/they-re-not-going-to-scare-us-saluki-cheerleaders-who/article_4033275a-39d6-50d1-b655-a80ab771e152.html