Colin Kaepernick, No. 7, and Eric Reid, No. 35, of the San Francisco 49ers kneel during the national anthem before their game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on Sept. 18, 2016, in Charlotte, N.C.

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

Shortly after the arrest of Ahmad Khan Rahami, the 28-year-old man wanted in Saturday night's explosion in New York City, a congressman took to Twitter to connect the possible terrorist act with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.


Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) sent out a sarcastic tweet directed at Kaepernick's protest for equal rights for blacks and minorities shortly after Rahami's arrest.


Since the NFL preseason, Kapernick has led a silent protest during the national anthem. Kapernick has noted that his protest will continue until equal rights are attained for minorities.

"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 after his initial protest Aug. 26. "To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

Several players in youth leagues, high school, college and the NFL have since joined Kaepernick's protest. Zeldin, who served in Iraq in 2006, has somehow aligned a silent protest for equal rights and an end to police brutality with a possible terrorist act.

The Huffington Post notes that President Barack Obama has defended Kaepernick's protest, while Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), supports the NFL player’s message, but not his method.


Read more at NFL Media and the Huffington Post.