Chicagoans to urge Kaepernick to stand for anthem at Soldier Field

(CHICAGO) Several Chicagoans will rally Saturday morning to urge San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick to stand for the national anthem when his team plays the Bears this weekend at Soldier Field.

The rally is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday in front of the Police Memorial at Soldier Field’s Gold Star Park and is expected to include several Chicago Police officials, including former superintendent Phil Cline and Fraternal Order of Police president Dean Angelo Sr.

Kaepernick has made headlines for kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality. He donated to the local chapter of the Black Youth Project 100 in November, the Sun-Times reported.

“While we respect Colin Kaepernick’s right to express his views, we asked him to be sensitive while at Soldier Field to the sacrifices made by those who defended his freedom, and their families,” said James Balcer, a retired alderman and Vietnam War veteran who is organizing the rally.

“Not standing during the national anthem on these hallowed grounds would be disrespectful and hurtful to thousands of families who lost loved ones,” Balcer said.