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| - On Sept. 18, 2024, the Facebook account America's Last Line of Defense shared a post claiming New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft announced that "anthem kneeling" would no longer be allowed at Gillette Stadium. The image meme was accompanied by text allegedly quoting Kraft saying, "The new era in New England will be an era of sportsmanship and patriotism, as our name dictates."
(America's Last Line of Defense/Facebook)
Some readers seemed to interpret the rumor as factual, with one commenter writing, "What the hell took these people so long ? That should of been a no brainer from the beginning." Another replied, "A few years too late!"
The rumor also appeared on multiple other Facebook accounts in September 2024. At the top of the latter account's comments section, the account administrator linked to a website named UK Discoverer, which published a story that began:
Thank you, Mr. Kraꜰt! Robert Kraft Has Annoᴜnced Tʜaᴛ Theʀe Will Be No "Anthem Kneeling" Αt Gillette Stadium Ever Again. Full story below
Foxborough, MA— In a decisive move, New England Patriots owner Robed Kraft has announced
that there will be no more "anthem kneeling" during games at Gillette Stadium. The decision,
which comes amid ongoing national conversations about protests during the national anthem,
marks a firm stance by the NFL owner known for his influential role in the league.
Kraft's declaration is expected to have a significant impact, not only on the Patriots but also on the
broader debate surrounding athletes' rights to protest during sports events. Anthem kneeling,
which began in 2016 when former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick protested
racial injustice and police brutality, has been a polarizing issue within the NFL and beyond.
However, there was no evidence from any reputable news outlet to back up the claim that Kraft had announced there would be no "anthem kneeling" at the team's stadium.
Further, the New England Patriots made no such announcement regarding rules about kneeling during the national anthem, while Gillette Stadium has not released a statement regarding this apparent rule. Kraft's alleged statement, published by UK Discoverer, been corroborated by any official sources.
The ALLOD Facebook account, which helped spread the rumor, describes its output as being satirical in nature, as follows:
The flagship of the ALLOD network of trollery. Nothing on this page is real.
ALLOD labels its Facebook page as "Satire/Parody," and a "Satire" badge was displayed in the bottom-right corner of the Facebook meme from ALLOD.
Snopes has addressed similar satirical claims from the ALLOD Facebook account in the past, including the assertion that the 2024 Paris Olympics were the "lowest-rated" Games in modern history and that WNBA star Brittney Griner received $62,000 in student loan forgiveness.
For background, here is why we alert readers to rumors created by sources that call their output humorous or satirical.
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