Former NFL quarterback Kaepernick calls out US 'imperialism' over Soleimani killing

Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick's kneeling protest of racial injustice became a US controversy. Photo: AFP

Former National Football League (NFL) quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, whose kneeling protests of racial injustice roiled the league, called out US "imperialism" on Twitter on Saturday.

Kaepernick's tweets came a day after the killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, although they did not specifically reference the Baghdad drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump.

"There is nothing new about American terrorist attacks against Black and Brown people for the expansion of American imperialism," Kaepernick tweeted.

"America has always sanctioned and besieged Black and Brown bodies both at home and abroad," he added in a separate post. "America militarism is the weapon wielded by American imperialism, to enforce its policing and plundering of the non white world."

Soleimani's assassination has been followed by vows of reprisal from Iran — met with a warning from Trump that the United States is targeting 52 sites in Iran if the Islamic republic attacks American personnel or bases.

Kaepernick, 32, was an NFL star in 2016 when he began kneeling during pre-game playing of the US national anthem to protest racial inequality — demonstrations that Trump criticised.

He opted out of his San Francisco 49ers contract for free agency in 2017, but found no takers.

He reached a settlement with the NFL over claims that owners were improperly keeping him out of the league and had insisted in 2019 that he was "ready to play" despite almost three years out of the league.

Kaepernick's tweets came on the opening day of the NFL playoffs.

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