A Georgia state trooper—who also happens to be black—refused to bow his knee during a recent Black Lives Matter protest in Hartwell, Georgia.
In response to a crowd harassing him for not kneeling like the rest, the officer, O’Neal Saddler, made it clear that while he means no disrespect, he only kneels for one person: God.
“If I didn’t have any respect, I was supposed to be out of town this weekend with my wife,” O’Neal explained in a brief video clip that has since gone viral on Twitter. “I took off today, this weekend, but I’m out here to make sure y’all are safe. So don’t go there with respect. I have much respect, but I only kneel for one person: God, God, God.”
Watch how this Georgia State Trooper, identified as O’Neal Saddler, responds when he's asked to kneel by protesters…
"I only kneel for one person…"pic.twitter.com/sO04sR2bsC
— The First (@TheFirstonTV) June 8, 2020
The 18-second footage has since made its way across all social media platforms, though it’s unclear precisely when the remarks were made.
Pro-athletes, police officers and politicians alike have been kneeling alongside protestors across the nation since the gruesome and untimely death of George Floyd.
Here are the most senior Democrats in government kneeling in the Capitol, minutes before introducing sweeping police reform bill pic.twitter.com/QuXVcaLVef
— Sarah Ferris (@sarahnferris) June 8, 2020
