San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler and several players kneeled during the national anthem ahead of Monday’s exhibition game against the Oakland A’s. To no surprise, some MLB fans took to social media to express their displeasure.
In response, Major League Baseball’s official Twitter account responded to individual tweets in which kneeling during the anthem — of course an unquestionably polarizing act in the country’s politically divided climate — was condemned.
MLB Twitter was among the social media outlets that shared footage of Kapler and some Giants players kneeling during the anthem.
After the exhibition, Kapler explained why he participated in kneeling during the anthem, saying in part that he wanted to support his players and allow them to “feel safe in speaking up.”
In an uncharacteristic move in response to the criticism by some individuals, MLB Twitter fired back at those fans who criticized the Giants’ actions in the comment thread following the above tweet.
President Donald Trump unsurprisingly also appeared to negatively react to the Giants’ actions in a tweet Tuesday morning about the imminent return of more live sports.
It remains to be seen whether MLB will issue any sort of response to Trump’s apparent criticism, on social media or otherwise.
More must-reads: