Anthem Protesters Silenced as 2 Marines Stand at Salute Next to Empty Seat

Anthem Protesters Silenced as 2 Marines Stand at Salute Next to Empty Seat

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By Benjamin Arie
January 22, 2018 at 6:48pm

The National Football League has been a hotbed of controversy over the last year.
What started as isolated incidents of players kneeling during “The Star-Spangled Banner” quickly spiraled out of control, and after entire teams refused to respect the American flag, many football fans made their frustration with the league known.
However, certain teams have reached out to show that they aren’t all on the flag-insulting bandwagon. One of those organizations is the Minnesota Vikings, which created a moving tribute to American soldiers that has gone viral online.

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A Facebook video posted by Marine Corp Recruiting Station Twin Cities in October has now received over 2 million views. It shows two United States Marines in full dress uniform keeping watch inside the Vikings football stadium… but it wasn’t the crowd that they were protecting.
“Marines stand guard during the Minnesota Vikings game over an empty seat symbolizing those service members who were prisoners of war or missing in action,” explained the post.
In a ritual that resembles the patrols at the famous Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Marines solemnly protect the reserved empty seat as a small memorial to those who cannot enjoy the game because they never returned home.