Group sits-in during National Anthem at UTEP game

Miner fans took to the Sun bowl Saturday to catch some football but before the big game started, as with any game, the national anthem filled the stadium.

Most of the people stood but far off in the stands some chose to sit –holding a Black Lives Matter banner, some of them with raised fists during the “Star Spangled Banner.”

“This was just from my point of view, one moment in time where we could get a lot of attention,” said UTEP student Pamela Angeles.

Angeles feels the protest is a reminder of ongoing violence across the country.

“Just to remind people that every thing isn’t as it should be. We are in a volatile time now, especially with the election going on it’s brought a lot out in the open and really we just want peace,” Angeles said.

While the protest remained peaceful, some racial slurs were blurted out at protestors.

Most of the protesters didn’t want to speak on camera but other UTEP fans like Temi Okuanedi, who’s British, did sound-off.

“It’s more about the cases of police brutality that are ongoing in America and stepping away from that, it’s more about the cases of inequality that are ongoing in America and it’s more about bringing attention to that and raising a conversation to make people think and start talking about what’s going on,” Okuanedi said.

There was opposition to the movement in the stands.

“We just came out to support military families in El Paso,” said Albert Solis.

Solis tells ABC-7 he was unaware of the protest, but said he disagreed:

“El Paso has a big population of military and for them to be doing that is kind of a sign of disrespect not only for the soldiers but for the school itself.”

Others echoed Solis’s sentiments.

“I wish that they wouldn’t do it but I’m not going to impede on their first amendment right so long as they don’t impede on mine,” said UTEP fan Pete Salcido.

The protest only lasted a few minutes, long enough to get their message across.

“It’s not about the military or those that have lost their lives me being British as well I understand that,” Okuanedi said.

Angeles added, “It is what it is, we were peaceful we were respectful.”

The national anthem protests will be the topic of discussion on Sundays ABC-7 Xtra right after ABC-7 at 10.