

People have started burning their Nike clothing just hours after Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback who sparked controversy for kneeling during the US national anthem, said he's starring in Nike's iconic "Just Do It" ad campaign.

Like anything controversial these days, social media fuelled the backlash quicker than the lighter fluid people poured over their once beloved Nike products as the hashtags #BoycottNike and #JustBurnIt started trending on Twitter.

TWITTER/@FREEMAN4LIBERTY Disgruntled Nike customers burned their shoes and clothing after an ad campaign with Colin Kaepernick was announced.

"First the NFL forces me to choose between my favourite sport and my country. I chose country. Then Nike forces me to choose between my favourite shoes and my country," Sean Clancy said on Twitter, with a video of Nike shoes burning.

Other posted images of Nike products in rubbish bags or with the Nike logo removed from clothing.

READ MORE:

* Colin Kaepernick to star in Nike's 'Just Do It' campaign

* What a NFL team eats - and it's a lot

* NFL stuck on anthem saga

The backlash to Nike is no surprise following Kaepernick being constantly criticised by US President Donald Trump and conservative Americans since the kneeling protest.

Kaepernick, 30, last played in the NFL in 2016, but is still one of the sport's most popular figures and has been under contract with Nike since 2011.

In 2016, Kaepernick's jerseys were the top-selling jersey on the NFL's official online store after he began his kneeling protest against racial injustice and police brutality in the United States.

The move was celebrated by others, including fellow Nike athlete Serena Williams.

Nike has a strong, long-standing relationship with the NFL and is the current official provider of the NFL's jerseys.

Kaepernick tweeted an image from the campaign with the caption: "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything."

The former San Fransisco 49 filed a collusion grievance against the league in October, alleging an organised effort to keep him off a roster because of his protests during the national anthem in the 2016 season.

The Nike outrage was met with swift backlash from others on the internet, mocking those who destroy a product they've already paid for: