City Punts Out Nike Gear After Kaepernick Ad

Eric Scheiner | September 10, 2018
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Kenner, La. Mayor Ben Zahn has requested that city playground booster clubs not wear or buy any Nike products, following Nike’s ad campaign featuring anthem kneeler Colin Kaepernick.

WWL reports, Mayor Zahn issued a memo Sept. 5th that says:

“Effective immediately, all purchases made by any booster club operating at any Kenner Recreation Facility for wearing apparel, shoes, athletic equipment, and/or any athletic product must be approved by the Director of Parks and Recreation, or his designee. Under no circumstances will any Nike product with the Nike logo be purchased for use or delivery at any City of Kenner Recreation Facility.” 

Zahn did not comment on the memo over the weekend, but at least one area lawmaker has claimed he will work against it.

According to WWL:

After the memo had been shared on social media, Councilman Gregory Carroll took to Facebook, saying he had no knowledge that the memo was being sent out.

'Last night a disturbing memorandum was circulated that the City of Kenner Mayor E. Ben Zahn wrote to the Kenner Recreation Director, directing him, regarding Booster Club Purchases, banning Nike products, usage or delivery of all Kenner Recreational Facilities,' Carroll wrote. 'I was not made aware of this decision beforehand and it is in direct contradiction of what I stand for and what the City of Kenner should stand for. I am 100% AGAINST this decision. I will meet with the Mayor and other Council members in an effort to rescind this directive. I will keep the citizens of Kenner, and the Greater New Orleans area informed as we move forward.'

 

Mayor Zahn has publicly expressed his support for standing during the national anthem in the past. WWL reports there is a video of him at Kenner's “Freedom Fest” expressing his support.

"I'm going to ask y'all to stand for what's about to happen. ... Because this is not the NFL football players, right?" Zahn said before the anthem was sung, eliciting cheers from the crowd. "This is the city of Kenner. In the city of Kenner we all stand. We're going to be proud of that"

H/T WWL-TV

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