Accepting Rights Award, Colin Kaepernick Decries ‘Lawful Lynching’

AMSTERDAM — Amnesty International gave the former N.F.L. quarterback Colin Kaepernick its Ambassador of Conscience Award on Saturday for his kneeling protest of racial injustice, which began a sports movement and might have cost him his job.

Colin Kaepernick, left, accepted the Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award for 2018 from the human rights organization’s secretary general, Salil Shetty, on Saturday in Amsterdam.CreditPeter Dejong/Associated Press

Eric Reid, one of Kaepernick’s former San Francisco 49ers teammates, presented him with the award. In his acceptance speech, Kaepernick described police killings of African-Americans and Latinos in the United States as lawful lynchings.

“Racialized oppression and dehumanization is woven into the very fabric of our nation — the effects of which can be seen in the lawful lynching of black and brown people by the police, and the mass incarceration of black and brown lives in the prison industrial complex,” Kaepernick said…

Kaepernick paid tribute to his friend for his own role in the protest movement…

Colin Kaepernick taking a knee in protest of police brutality.

“Eric introducing me for this prestigious award brings me great joy,” Kaepernick said. “But I am also pained by the fact that his taking a knee, and demonstrating courage to protect the rights of black and brown people in America, has also led to his ostracization from the N.F.L. when he is widely recognized as one of the best competitors in the game and in the prime of his career.”

“In truth, this is an award that I share with all of the countless people throughout the world combating the human rights violations of police officers, and their uses of oppressive and excessive force,” Kaepernick said…

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