KITTERY — Protests by NFL players during the national anthem have spilled onto a high school field in Kittery, where members of the Traip Academy girls’ soccer team took a knee.

One of the nine team members who kneeled Monday night during the “The Star-Spangled Banner” said they wanted to call for racial justice. They said they were inspired by the NFL demonstrations, which have been criticized by President Trump.

Team members were subjected to insults on social media after a photo appeared in the Portsmouth Herald. Some of the criticism was racist and misogynistic.

Traip Principal John Drisko said he’s addressed the social media taunts.

He told the newspaper that he hopes the demonstration and backlash can be used to foster a constructive dialogue about race.


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