“The anthem doesn’t speak for me. It never has,” Olympic hammer thrower Gwen Berry said after turning her back away from the American flag.
Hammer thrower Gwen Berry’s act of protest by turning away from the flag during the National Anthem at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials has ignited a passionate debate, with some supporting her stance and others saying she shouldn’t represent the country in the summer games. Berry qualified for her second Olympic Games this year, placing third in the hammer throw. As the medal ceremony got underway Saturday, “The Star-Spangled Banner” played over loudspeakers just as Berry and her two co-medalists were getting their awards. Berry noted that the anthem is usually played at 5:20 p.m. local time, but this time it apparently began at 5:25, right around when the players were being awarded. Berry, who is a longtime vocal activist, told ESPN she thought the choice was intentional. “I feel like it was a setup, and they did it on purpose… I was pissed, to be honest,” Berry said. She added, “They said they were going to play it before we walked out, then they played it when we were out there, but I don’t really want to talk about the anthem because that’s not important.
