Local members of the faith community and some activists say they are proud of the actions taken by soccer players at the School of Inquiry, when they got down on one knee during the national anthem, just as NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick has done.
Speaking at the Downtown United Presbyterian Church in Rochester, Minister Kenneth Muhammad, a student representative for the Nation of Islam, said his group believes the players' actions were motivated by love for oppressed people, and have nothing to do with disrespect, or dishonor of veterans or anyone else.
"We believe in them taking this stand, they have a constitutional right, why is there backlash, why is there any aura about the flag. It's about the young people who chose to take a stand. And we should honor that."
Co-facilitator for the group Facing Race, Embracing Equity, Howard Eagle, says what the students did was calculated and brilliant, and it points to many issues that are at the base of their actions.
"Police community relations, racism, and many other issues that are connected to those, but those are the two that sort of emerged as most critical," he said.
In a statement from the group, Muhammad went on to say they are somewhat concerned over the letter the district sent to parents after the first protest.
"What seems to be a calculated effort on the part of the Rochester City School District to restrict and redirect students’ first amendment rights regarding the importance of open and honest dialogue concerning this critical matter," he said.
City School District spokesman Chip Partner released a statement in response.
He said "In no way did the school district attempt to restrict the rights of students. To the contrary, the school and the District affirmed the students’ First Amendment rights, and used this as a teachable moment for students to engage in dialog with each other and adults about the reasons for the protest."