Before Sunday’s game against the Calgary Stampeders, players and coaches of the Saskatchewan Roughriders linked arms during the national anthem.

Kevin Glenn and Chris Jones touched on the reasoning behind the decision after the game.

On Monday, the Riders’ organization released a statement in support of the players and coaches’ decision.

“Prior to Sunday’s Canadian Football League game, Saskatchewan Roughrider players chose to stand arm in arm during the national anthem as a sign of unity.

Our players and coaches stood together, side by side, locked arm in arm as teammates, as co-workers, and as friends as a sign of solidarity and in support of human equality. 

As an organization, we stand alongside our players and support their individual right to freedom of speech and their beliefs.”

The Canadian Football League and Commissioner Randy Ambrosie also released a statement of support for the players and coaches.

Protests during the national anthem popped up across the National Football League and in Major League Baseball over the weekend after U.S. President Donald Trump encouraged NFL owners to fire players that kneeled during the anthem.

The movement started last year when then San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee before games during the season to protest injustice and racism towards African Americans in the United States.

Riders Swing Trade Monday... The Riders also pulled off a trade on Monday, acquiring national receiver Brett Blaszko from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for a conditional pick in the 2018 CFL Draft.  Blaszko (six-foot-four, 204 lbs.) was a third round pick by the B.C. Lions in 2016 and signed with the Bombers last June after spending his rookie season on the Lions practice roster.

The team also added receiver Joe Craig to their practice roster.