The U.S. Navy is investigating a video that emerged showing K-9 dogs attacking a man in a Colin Kaepernick jersey.
A video that went viral over the weekend shows a K-9 demonstration at the Navy SEALS Museum near St. Lucie, Florida, during a fundraiser last year. None of the people present in the video were active duty, according to the Navy’s early investigation.
“We became aware today of a video of a Navy SEAL Museum event posted last year with a military working dog demonstration. In the demonstration, the target is wearing a Colin Kaepernick jersey. The inherent message of this video is completely inconsistent with the values and ethos of Naval Special Warfare and the U.S. Navy,” the Navy SEALs said in a statement Sunday.
“We are investigating the matter fully, and initial indications are that there were no active duty Navy personnel or equipment involved with this independent organization’s event,” the statement added.
The video shows four dogs attacking a heavily padded man wearing a jersey of the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback.
Navy SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce used “Colin Kaepernick stand-in” for K-9 demonstration at fundraiser last year #BecauseFlorida https://t.co/COHFCeJ3GN pic.twitter.com/EpcELHxrSe
— Billy Corben (@BillyCorben) August 2, 2020
Kaepernick was subject to media attention after sitting during the national anthem in 2016 to protest police brutality. “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick told NFL Media in 2016. “To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way.”
However, after Kaepernick spoke with Nate Boyer, a former member of the U.S. Army Special Forces, about the level of respect exhibited for the national anthem, Kaepernick changed tactics to kneel during the anthem, which occurs before every game.
His protest inspired athletes across the NFL and other sports leagues to follow suit. Critics of the protest, including President Trump, say it is disrespectful to the flag and those who have served in the military.
