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Gwen Berry Responds To The Backlash She Faced For Turning Away From U.S. Flag During The National Anthem

WBLS Staff
06/30/2021 12:00 AM EDT
Gwen Berry, the Olympic hammer thrower and activist, has received backlash after she turned her back during the national anthem at the Olympic Trials. According to reports, this isn’t the first time that Berry has protested the National Anthem. In 2019, at the Pan American Games, she was seen turning her body away from the flag as the “Star-Spangled Banner” was playing. At the end of the song, Berry then put a black T-shirt on her head that read “Activist Athlete”. Her protest caught the attention of some politics. Dan Crenshaw, a Texas congressman tweeted that Berry should be removed from the team. Ex-Wisconsin governor Scott Walker also tweeted out, “What is wrong with people? Growing up, everyone stood for the American flag. Didn’t matter your politics, race, sex, income, religion; everyone stood for the flag. It was one of those civic rituals that brought us together. It still should today.” Gwen Berry would respond to the criticism on social media. “I never said I hated this country! People try to put words in my mouth but they can’t. That’s why I speak out. I LOVE MY PEOPLE.”