Denis Poroy / AP
A Northern California police union told the San Francisco 49ers on Friday its officers might refuse to work the NFL team's home games unless it takes action against quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has decided not to stand during the national anthem.
Kaepernick has taken a knee or sat through the national anthem during the team's pre-season games, generating a wave of boos from the audience and criticism from fans.
In a letter sent to the 49ers Friday, the Santa Clara Police Officers' Association told the team that unless they take action against Kaepernick, "it could result in police officers choosing not to work at your facilities," NBC Bay Area reported.
The union stated it had a responsibility to protect its members, who work for the Santa Clara Police Department, from "harassing behavior." The team plays at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.
According to the report, the police department provides about 70 officers to the stadium during home games.
The union stated on its website it had drafted and delivered a letter to the 49ers' headquarters, but the letter itself was not publicly available.
The Santa Clara Police Department and the Santa Clara Police Officers' Association did not immediately respond to BuzzFeed News requests for comment.
Ben Margot / AP
Earlier this week, Kaepernick was spotted at practice wearing socks depicting police officers as pigs, sparking additional outrage.
The quarterback has received support from teammates and other football players who have followed his lead during the singing of the national anthem, and some veterans who have aired their support online.
Kaepernick has said he decided to make the silent protest because of what he called oppression of minorities in the US, and mentioning the killing of minorities in police shootings.
The Santa Clara Police union was not the first to criticize the actions of the quarterback.
On Monday, the San Francisco Police Officers Association also sent a letter to the 49ers and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, asking their organizations to apologize for Kaepernick.
“We will not stand by while he attacks police officers in this country with statements such as, ‘People are on paid leave while people of color are killed,’” the statement read. “Not only does he show an incredible lack of knowledge regarding our profession and ‘officer involved’ shootings, but also shows a naivety and total lack of sensitivity toward police officers.”
The union invited Kaepernick to visit the department’s academy, and asked the NFL to, “denounce his foolish statements and separate yourself from his actions.”
The 49ers, in the meantime, have backed Kaepernick's actions, stating that players have a right to participate, or not, in the national anthem.
LINK: Colin Kaepernick Again Refuses To Stand For The National Anthem
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