Notre Dame students cite faith as they kneel during national anthem to protest racism

Dozens of students at the University of Notre Dame took a knee during the playing of the national anthem at the Catholic school’s football game in South Bend, Ind., this weekend, saying their faith compels them to protest racism.

As “The Star-Spangled Banner” blared before Notre Dame’s last home game of the season on Saturday (Nov. 10), students in six rows of the school’s football stadium suddenly knelt in unison, joining a movement to protest racism and police brutality that has caused controversy for the past two years across professional and scholastic sports contests. Organizers said they estimated around 90 students participated, although the school newspaper reported at least 60.

According to a statement on a Facebook group page created ahead of the protest, the student organizers said the action was meant to confront a Notre Dame student body that they say has not faced “the reality of systemic racial injustice.”

Organizers told Religion News Service that faith was a key motivator of the protest, noting they intend to hold a panel discussion later this week about racism and their decision to kneel.