Story highlights "This is about the President and millions of American being for something," Sanders said

"We certainly respect the rights that people have," she said

Washington (CNN) White House press secretary Sarah Sanders suggested Monday that NFL players protesting police brutality should focus their protests on police officers on the sidelines of NFL games rather than kneeling during the national anthem.

"I think if this -- the debate is really for them about police brutality they should probably protest the officers on the field who are protecting them instead of the American flag," Sanders said.

She later clarified that she wasn't suggesting people protest police, but was pointing out that it is inappropriate to protest the flag over their concerns.

"No, no that's not what I'm saying. I was kind of pointing out the hypocrisy of the fact that if the goal is and the message is one of police brutality, then that doesn't seem very appropriate to protest the American flag. I'm not sure how those two things would be combined," Sanders said.

She also defended President Donald Trump's remarks criticizing NFL players who kneel for the national anthem.

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