Singer Justine Skye took a knee as she sang the national anthem before the Brooklyn Nets’ home opener against the Orlando Magic on Friday night.
The 22-year-old Brooklyn native dropped to one knee towards the end of her performance at the Barclays Center. She was greeted by a mixture of boos and cheers from the basketball fans, per CBS News.
Watch the video here:
“Got a bit shaky at the end… was pretty uneasy about singing the anthem and probably won’t ever be invited to sing it again,” Skye later posted on Instagram.
“But I had to take a a knee for the opening game in my city and let my voice be heard,” she added. “We will not be silenced.” Skye captioned her post with the #blacklivesmatter hashtag, in an apparent show of solidarity with the movement.
The National Basketball Association has ruled that players, coaches and trainers must stand during the anthem. It is yet to comment on Friday’s incident.
A Nets spokeswoman said the team recognized that Skye had “kneeled briefly” but had not been aware “that she was going to do so,” reports ABC News.
Skye’s taking of the knee is a continuation of the ongoing protests inspired by the National Football League demonstrations against police brutality and racial injustice. They began when former San Francisco 49er Colin Kaepernick started taking the knee during the anthem last year, and have been repeatedly criticized by President Donald Trump.
The game itself ended in a 126-121 victory for the Nets.
