Hammer thrower Gwen Berry, after qualifying for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, turned away from the U.S. flag to protest the playing of the national anthem while she was on the medal stand:
Hammer thrower Gwen Berry turned away from the flag during the national anthem on the podium at the US Olympic trials. She then draped her black T-shirt with the words “Activist Athlete” emblazoned on the front over her head.
by @epells
https://t.co/afe9O1E82N— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) June 27, 2021
The anthem, which at this qualifying event was only played once during each day of the competition, just happened to occur while she was getting her bronze medal.
This, she said, was a “setup”:
As the national anthem played while Gwen Berry was on the podium after qualifying for the Olympics, she turned away from the flag and draped a T-shirt with the words "Activist Athlete" over her head.
She felt the timing of the anthem was "a setup": https://t.co/cE22DCQCxB pic.twitter.com/HPPnR2xXyr
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 27, 2021
“Stop playing with me,” she later tweeted:
Stop playing with me pic.twitter.com/WLN3clqOCM
— Gwen Berry OLY (@MzBerryThrows) June 27, 2021
Berry also held up a T-shirt with “Activist Athlete” on the front during the ceremony:
Hammer thrower Gwen Berry turned away from the American flag during the playing of the national anthem at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Berry, a vocal activist, said she felt like the timing of the anthem Saturday was a “set-up.”
More: https://t.co/KIMwOLYjkY pic.twitter.com/wxAGMQe8vS
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) June 27, 2021
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She’s never been a fan of the song:
"The anthem don’t speak for me. It never has.” Gotta love @MzBerryThrows https://t.co/sFwlbVcawg
— Gary Younge (@garyyounge) June 27, 2021
And:
"My purpose and my mission is bigger than sports… I'm here to represent those … who died due to systemic racism. That's the important part. That's why I'm going. That's why I'm here today" @MzBerryThrows https://t.co/h0zaL9Mdi5
— Hamish Neal (@hamishneal) June 27, 2021
Berry told reporters after the event that she was “pissed” that they played it right when she was getting her medal:
Olympic hammer thrower Gwen Berry 'pissed' national anthem was playing https://t.co/HANHvsuFed pic.twitter.com/NGCzpnHACJ
— New York Post (@nypost) June 27, 2021
“It was disrespectful. I know they did that on purpose,” she told journos:
“I feel like it was set up,” Berry said with a burst of laughter. “… It was real disrespectful. I know they did that on purpose, but it’ll be all right. I see what’s up.” https://t.co/3M5AQzrEAP
— Post Sports (@PostSports) June 27, 2021
And her evidence for this conspiracy theory?
“The anthem has been scheduled to play at around 5:20pm every evening at trials.. on Saturday, the music started at 5:25 while the hammer throwers were on the podium”:
“the anthem has been scheduled to play at around 5:20pm every evening at trials.. on Saturday, the music started at 5:25 while the hammer throwers were on the podium”…
Like I said SET UP !! 5 min is longer than you think. pic.twitter.com/Fn7t4XCZy2
— Gwen Berry OLY (@MzBerryThrows) June 27, 2021
Oh, FFS! It wasn’t a setup!
Don’t set me up and think I won’t jump ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾 https://t.co/IHXAbm3GBH
— Gwen Berry OLY (@MzBerryThrows) June 27, 2021
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