Nike customers BURN clothes to protest Colin Kaepernick announcement

Just hours after Colin Kaepernick was announced as the face of Nike's new Just Do It campaign, people began to protest.

Nike customers upset at the decision took to Twitter and shared videos of them destroying their apparel.

Many clips showed people setting their sneakers and clothes on fires while others cut their socks.

John Rich, one half of the country band Big & Rich, said their soundman, a former Marine, had cut off the famous swoosh logo from his socks.

Veterans organization Vote Vets urged critics to donate their items rather than burn them.

A Twitter user who goes by the name Sean Clancy posted video showing a pair of Nike sneakers being set on fire

A Twitter user who goes by the name Sean Clancy posted video showing a pair of Nike sneakers being set on fire.

'First the NFL forces me to choose between my favorite sport and my country. I chose country. 

'Then Nike forces me to choose between my favorite shoes and my country. 

'Since when did the American Flag and the National Anthem become offensive?'

Another Twitter user who identifies himself as AlterAtYeshiva posted a video of himself placing a number of Nike sneakers into a fire.

Sebastian Blanco posted images on Twitter showing him burn Nike sneakers

Nike's decision to pick Kaepernick, the first NFL player to kneel during the national anthem as a protest against racism, as one of the faces for advertisements commemorating the 30th anniversary of its Just Do It slogan, is a move that could draw President Donald Trump’s ire. 

'Colin has been a Nike athlete since 2011,' Nike spokeswoman Sandra Carreon-John said on Monday. 

'Colin is one of a number of athletes being featured as part of our 30th anniversary of Just Do It.'

Ryan Harden prepared a furnace for a fire that would eventually engulf Nike gear

He tossed Nike clothing into the furnace to protest the Kaepernick ad campaign

She said Nike unveiled the campaign last week by releasing a film featuring Serena Williams entitled 'Voice of Belief.'

Based on images sent by Nike, other athletes featured in the ad campaign include New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., skateboarder Lacey Baker and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Shaquem Griffin, who is an amputee with one hand.

Former NFL quarterback Kaepernick posted a black-and-white close-up of himself on Instagram and Twitter on Monday featuring the Nike logo and Just do it slogan along with the quote, 'Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.'

'We believe Colin is one of the most inspirational athletes of this generation, who has leveraged the power of sport to help move the world forward,' said Gino Fisanotti, a Nike vice president of brand for North America, according to ESPN, which first reported Nike’s decision to use Kaepernick as part of the ad campaign.

Representatives for Kaepernick and the National Football League did not respond to requests for comment on Monday.

Another Twitter user who identifies himself as AlterAtYeshiva posted a video of himself placing a number of Nike sneakers into a fire

He describes himself as a supporter of President Donald Trump

Kaepernick was a quarterback with the San Francisco 49ers for six years. 

He stirred a national controversy by taking a knee while the anthem was played before games during the NFL’s 2016 season to draw attention to police killings of black men and other issues.

The anthem protests, soon embraced by other players, raised the ire of some NFL fans and Trump, who has said he would love to see NFL owners fire football players who disrespect the American flag.

The NFL this season has adopted a rule requiring all players to stand during the anthem, although it gave them the option of staying off the field until the ceremony was over. 

John Rich, one half of the country band Big and Rich, tweeted this image of a soundman cutting off the Nike logo from his socks

This Twitter user vowed that these were his last-ever pairs of Nikes

'Ripping my Nike Air Max to own the libs,' tweeted Chris P

'Ive had these kicks forever! Not anymore,' tweeted Tim Null, who added the hashtag #boycottNike

This Twitter user decided he was going to treat his Nike socks like food

This Twitter user showed his disgust with Nike by tweeting a photo of a new pair of UnderArmour sneakers

A Trump supporter tweeted this photo of Nike shoes being burned over a flaming log

Even so, the protests have persisted through the preseason and the NFL has said it is in discussions with the players union on the policy. 

Kaepernick and another former 49ers player, Eric Reid, have not been signed by any of the NFL’s 32 teams since their protests spread around the league. 

Both have filed collusion grievances against NFL owners.

On Thursday, arbitrator Stephen Burbank denied the league’s request to dismiss the case, which means he found sufficient evidence for the case to continue and perhaps go to trial.

News of Nike’s ad campaign broke just days before the first game of the NFL season on Thursday, when the controversy over pre-game protests could flare anew.

'Nike has always been and will continue to be my family’s favorite shoe,' wrote Twitter user @TheDionneMama.

Former NFL quarterback Kaepernick posted a black-and-white close-up of himself on Instagram and Twitter on Monday featuring the Nike logo and Just do it slogan along with the quote, 'Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything'

But other reaction on Twitter was negative. 'Time to throw away all my Nike crap,' wrote @SportDuh 17.

Kaepernick received an enthusiastic welcome from fans at the U.S. Open’s showcase tennis match between Serena and Venus Williams on Friday night when he was shown raising his fist on the big screen.

Nike has in recent months been under scrutiny for its culture and accusations that women are not adequately represented in its leadership ranks. 

Chief Executive Officer Mark Parker apologized for the company’s work culture in May to employees in a company-wide meeting.

Nike, which has said it opposes discrimination and is committed to diversity and inclusion, previously announced 'unconscious bias training' for its managers and a review of its human-resources systems.      

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https://hienalouca.com/2018/09/04/nike-customers-burn-clothes-to-protest-colin-kaepernick-announcement/
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