‘I only kneel for God’: Georgia state trooper declines Black Lives Matter protesters’ demands that he take a knee
- O’Neal Saddler was filmed speaking with demonstrators at the rally in Hartwell
- He said he had cancelled weekend plans with his wife to help keep them safe
- Mr Saddler refused to get down on one knee and said he kneels only for ‘God’
A state trooper from Georgia refused to kneel during a Black Lives Matter protest in Georgia, telling demonstrators he does that only for God.
Video footage has emerged of O’Neal Saddler, who cancelled his weekend plans to help keep protesters safe, at the rally in Hartwell on Sunday.
He was reportedly asked by a member of the crowd to kneel as a sign of solidarity in the wake of George Floyd’s death, which he refused.
Defending his decision, Saddler said he has ‘much respect’ but only kneels ‘for one person’.
Addressing a group of demonstrators, Saddler says: ‘I’m supposed to be out of town this weekend with my wife.
‘I took off this weekend, today, but I’m out here to make sure you are all safe.
‘Don’t go there with respect.
‘I have much respect, but I only kneel for one person.’
Someone in the crowd interrupts: ‘And that’s God’.
The trooper nods and confirms, ‘God’.
The officer, dressed in blue uniform with his state trooper patrol badge clearly visible on his shirt cuff, turns and strides away from the demonstrators.
Law enforcement officers and officials have been videoed across the globe kneeling in solidarity with demonstrators demanding justice for 46-year-old George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was killed in Minneapolis two weeks ago.
Mr Saddler is pictured left in his blue uniform with his Georgia state patrol badge clearly visible as he talks with protesters. To the right of that photo is a banner that appears to show the word ‘silence’. The Georgia state trooper is pictured right in his ordinary clothes in a photo posted on Facebook
In many instances, the protesters have been the ones asking the officers to kneel with them and the gesture has elicited cheers.
Yet not everyone is on board with the action, and some protesters have taken issue with officers kneeling, condemning it as a PR stunt that doesn’t contribute to the movement.
Taking the knee is a widely recognised symbol of protest against police brutality and racism which is traced back to American football quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s peaceful protest of kneeling during the national anthem.
Derek Chauvin, who has since been fired from the department and charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, was filmed kneeling on Mr Floyd’s neck for nine minutes as he begged for his mother and gasped ‘I can’t breathe’.
Mr Saddler smiles while wearing his state trooper uniform in a photo shared on his Facebook profile
Mr Saddler made a public plea on his Facebook page for people to ‘remember the actions of bad officers don’t make me or other good officers bad’
Three other officers involved have been fired and charged with aiding and abetting murder.
Mr Floyd’s death sparked outrage and global demonstration that have raged for more than two weeks.
The clip of Mr Saddler’s refusal to kneel was shared online by Ryan Fournier, founder and co-chairman of Students for Trump.
Some social media users slammed Mr Saddler’s refusal to kneel, prompting the trooper to post a message on Facebook.
He shared one such criticism and said: ‘Please stop, racism has to start somewhere.
‘I haven’t done any more or less than anyone.’
In apparent reference to Derek Chauvin, Saddler said: ‘the actions of bad officers don’t make me or other good officers bad’.