A planned Netflix mini-series documenting Colin Kaepernick, the sports star central to the ‘taking a knee’ movement in protest of racial discrimination and violence, has reportedly encountered security issues.
According to TMZ, the show has been forced to take extra security measures following protests from far-right political group Proud Boys.
Two production assistants also alleged that a suspicious phone call was made to the production office.
Colin in Black & White stars Jaden Michael in the title role and is directed by Ava DuVernay, whilst Kaepernick himself takes on narration duties for the six-part series.
The series takes a look at the events that shaped the life of the iconic sports star and social activist, delving into his high school years to document his most formative moments.
Kaepernick first made global headlines back in 2016 when he took a knee during the national anthem, famously stating after the game: “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of colour. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
When Netflix gave the biographical series the green-light director DuVernay made a statement declaring: “With his act of protest, Colin Kaepernick ignited a national conversation about race and justice with far-reaching consequences for football, culture and for him, personally.”
It is unclear how this latest roadblock has affected the production of the show with Netflix merely stating that extra safety precautions will have to be taken.
You can catch a trailer for DuVernay’s other Netflix project When They See Us, below.
