Most racial minorities and Democrats would not support U.S. athletes participating in anti-American protests during the Tokyo Olympics after hammer thrower Gwen Berry protested the national anthem following her third place finish at the Olympic trials last month.
A new poll found that 79 percent of respondents, including 61 percent of black people and 69 percent of Hispanics, contest the protest of America at the Olympics.
The opposition to Olympic protests was a bipartisan opinion as well, with 72 percent of Democrats and 93 percent of Republicans holding the belief that such protests should be left out of the games.
The only demographic that supported protesting the U.S. was younger Americans, where only 49 percent aged 18-24 said that it is important to respect the country in Tokyo while 39 percent disagree.
At the Olympic trials in June, Berry turned away from the American flag and put a shirt over her head that read “Activist Athlete”while the national anthem played.
Berry, who had just received her bronze medal for hammer throwing before the “Star-Spangled Banner” began playing, said she felt the timing of the anthem was on purpose.
"I feel like it was a set-up, and they did it on purpose. I was pissed, to be honest," she told the Associated Press in June.
However, the event planner said the anthem was played as originally scheduled and was not intentionally played because Berry was on the podium.
The International Olympic Committee said its Rule 50 will be enforced in Tokyo. This rule prohibits protests such as raising fists and kneeling inside the lines. Sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos were sent home from the Mexico City Games in 1968 for violating the rule.
The poll, conducted by TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence from June 30 through July 2, surveyed 1,424 adults and had a margin of error of +/- 2.8 points.
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