Fox ignores the first Senate hearing on the Capitol insurrection to complain about athletes kneeling

Fox reporter: Athletes kneeling “is one of the most polarizing things to happen to this nation in decades”

Written by Lis Power

Published

Updated

As the Senate began its first hearing on the January 6 Capitol riot, Fox News was focused on something much more insidious -- athletes kneeling. According to headlines reporter Carley Shimkus, athletes protesting racial injustice by kneeling during the national anthem “is one of the most polarizing things to happen to this nation in decades,” and it “started the whole anti-America movement.”

From the February 23, 2021, edition of Fox News' America's Newsroom

CARLEY SHIMKUS (FOX NEWS HEADLINES REPORTER): It is very much on full display in all sports, and I know a lot of people who have cut back on the amount of sports that they watch because they support police, they feel like this is a divisive movement. I think the Black Lives Matter movement -- well, I should say the national anthem kneeling protest -- is one of the most polarizing things to happen to this nation in decades, whether or not you support President Trump. I really do think it started the whole anti-America movement. Would there be statues being knocked down and people looking at the histories of our Founding Fathers if not for this movement? 

While Fox was busy obsessing over athletes kneeling, the other cable news networks were airing the Senate hearing on the January 6 attack, featuring testimony from law enforcement officials and officers who defended the Capitol from rioters.

2/23/21 hearing / Fox

As others noted, the hearing featured harrowing testimony from Capitol Police officer Capt. Carneysha Mendoza:

Update (2/23/21, 12:47 p.m.): Things didn't get any better in the afternoon session.