Police Union Head Slams NFL, Calls Colin Kaepernick’s Anti-Cop Socks ‘Disrespectful’

Colin Kaepernick (Christian Petersen / Getty)
Christian Petersen / Getty

The head of one of the nation’s largest police unions came out swinging at the 49ers, the NFL, and troubled QB Colin Kaepernick after the player wore anti-police “pig cop” socks at a practice this week.

Bill Johnson, executive director of the National Association of Police Organizations, criticized the National Football League for shutting down an effort by the Dallas Cowboys to celebrate the Dallas Police, which lost several officers at a Black Lives Matter protest turned violent, while at the same time allowing Colin Kaepernick to slam America and police with abandon.

“It’s just ridiculous that the same league that prohibits the Dallas football club from honoring the slain officers in their community with their uniforms stands silent when Kaepernick is dishonoring police officers with what he’s wearing on the field,” Johnson said to USA Today sports.

Early in August the NFL denied the request of the Dallas Cowboys to wear a helmet deal honoring the Dallas PD after law enforcement lost five officers in a single, deadly sneak attack in July.

“I think the league is in a downward spiral regarding their obligations to the public under Roger Goodell and this is just another example of that,” Johnson added.

Johnson’s comments came hours after Kaepernick wore socks featuring a cartoon depiction of police officers as pigs.

It appears the player had worn the socks during practice before, but after his recent anti-American rants and his sudden refusal to stand for the national anthem after a five-year career of doing so, the socks made a bigger impression this time.

The player also took to his Instagram account to explain why he wore the anti-police socks, blaming a climate of fear in America on “rogue cops.”

I wore those socks, in the past, because the rogue cops that are allowed to hold positions in police departments, not only put the community in danger, but also put the cops that have the right intentions in danger by creating an environment of tension and mistrust. I have two uncles and friends who are police officers and work to protect and serve ALL people. So before those socks, which were worn before I took my public stance, are used to distract from the real issues, I wanted to address this immediately.

This is far from the first time Kaepernick used his Instagram account to attack police. Several months ago he went to Instagram to tell fans that police “lynched” blacks.

“This is what lynchings look like in 2016!” he said. “Another murder in the streets because the color of a man’s skin, at the hands of the people who they say will protect us.”

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.

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