An unidentified San Francisco 49ers cheerleader dropped to her knee Thursday night during the U.S. national anthem, in what appears to be the first public protest by an NFL cheerleader.

cheerleader takes a knee during U.S. anthem

While the rest of the cheerleading squad stood in unison during “The Star-Spangled Banner,” one woman knelt down and put her hands on her hips.

The woman pictured kneeling ahead of the 49ers’ matchup against the Oakland Raiders has yet to be identified.

The 49ers are the former team of Colin Kaepernick, who famously knelt during the anthem back in 2016 to highlight police brutality against African-Americans.

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The movement then spread around the league and took several different forms, with some choosing to link arms in solidarity rather than kneel.

In May, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell introduced a policy that would require players to stand or remain in the locker room during the during the anthem.

The policy would fine players who chose to sit or kneel during the pre-game performance. The NFL put the policy on hold for the 2018 season to allow for further discussion between the league and the union, the NFL Players Association.

Article by Dewayne Goforth