Members of Cleveland’s police union will not hold the American flag as planned for the NFL Browns’ regular-season opener on Sept. 10 because some players knelt during the National Anthem before a preseason game, the Police Patrolmen’s Association president told Cleveland.com Friday.
“When management allows you to do those things, then that’s on them,” said Steve Loomis. “It’s hypocritical of the Browns management and ownership to want to have an armed forces first-responder day and have us involved in it when they allow their players to take a knee during the national anthem. That’s the very representation of what we stand for. That’s why we aren’t going to.”
A group of Browns players have been locking arms during the playing of the national anthem since Cleveland played the New York Giants on Aug. 21.
“As an organization, we have a profound respect for our country’s national anthem, flag and the
