Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg does not agree the recent protests by NFL players against violent oppression of black people in the United States – in fact, she thinks such actions are “dumb”, “disrespectful”, and “ridiculous”.

The protests gained national attention at the end of August when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first refused to stand during the country’s national anthem, traditionally played at the beginning of a game.

Shortly after, players across the league began kneeling during the anthem in solidarity with Kaepernick, amid calls for the 49ers to sack the quarterback.

Despite the issues at the root of the protests – namely the routine killing of black people by police officers – Justice Ginsburg, 83, takes offence to the action, but defended their right to do so.

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“I think it’s really dumb of them,” Ms Ginsburg told Katy Couric in a Monday interview promoting her new book My Own Words. “Would I arrest them for doing it? No.”

“I think it’s dumb and disrespectful,” she added. “I would have the same answer if you asked me about flag burning. I think it’s a terrible thing to do, but I wouldn’t lock a person up for doing it. I would point out how ridiculous it seems to me to do such an act.”

Colin Kaepernick: From the Nevada Wolf Pack to San Francisco 49ers Show all 9 1 /9 Colin Kaepernick: From the Nevada Wolf Pack to San Francisco 49ers Colin Kaepernick: From the Nevada Wolf Pack to San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Colin Kaepernick #10 of the Nevada Reno Wolf Pack crosses the goal line ahead of UNLV Rebel defenders to score a touchdown in the first quarter of their game at Sam Boyd Stadium October 2, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller/Getty Colin Kaepernick: From the Nevada Wolf Pack to San Francisco 49ers Colin Kaepernick #10 of the Nevada Wolf Pack looks to pass the ball against Boston College during the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl at AT&T Park on January 9, 2011 in San Francisco, California. Ezra Shaw/Getty Colin Kaepernick: From the Nevada Wolf Pack to San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Colin Kaepernick #10 of the Nevada Reno Wolf Pack celebrates with fans after defeating the UNLV Rebels 44-26 at Sam Boyd Stadium October 2, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ezra Shaw/Getty Colin Kaepernick: From the Nevada Wolf Pack to San Francisco 49ers Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers participates in passing drills during practice at the San Francisco 49ers training facility on July 30, 2011 in Santa Clara, California. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Colin Kaepernick: From the Nevada Wolf Pack to San Francisco 49ers Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers passes the ball against the Oakland Raiders at Candlestick Park on August 20, 2011 in San Francisco, California. Ezra Shaw/Getty Colin Kaepernick: From the Nevada Wolf Pack to San Francisco 49ers Colin Kaepernick #7 and Frank Gore #21 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrate after Gore scored a 6-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter against the Baltimore Ravens during Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Rob Carr/Getty Colin Kaepernick: From the Nevada Wolf Pack to San Francisco 49ers Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers runs with the ball in front of Bernard Pollard #31 of the Baltimore Ravens in the first quarter during Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Al Bello/Getty Colin Kaepernick: From the Nevada Wolf Pack to San Francisco 49ers Head coach Jim Harbaugh taps Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers on the chest during warm ups prior to Super Bowl XLVII against the Baltimore Ravens at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ezra Shaw/Getty Colin Kaepernick: From the Nevada Wolf Pack to San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers throws a pass against the Green Bay Packers in the first half of their preseason football game at Levi's Stadium on August 26, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty

Ms Ginsburg warned that it would be “dangerous to arrest people for conduct that doesn’t jeopardise the health or well-being of other people”.

She reiterated her point: “If they want to be stupid … if they want to be arrogant, there’s no law that prevents them for that.”

However, Kaepernick maintains that he is not staging the protest for himself, but instead using his platform to amplify “people that don’t have a voice” in order to “effect change.”