WATCH: Members of U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Turn Away from the Flag as WWII Vet Plays Anthem

Several members of the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) turned away from the flag as a 98-year-old WWII veteran played the national anthem.

The incident occurred Monday, just before the USWNT took-on Mexico in their final tune-up before the Tokyo Olympics.

Every woman on the Mexican Soccer Team faced the flag & sang the Mexican National anthem.

Several woman on the U.S. Soccer team turned away from the US flag – while a 92 year old Veteran played the anthem on a harmonica.

Why didn’t @USWNT show the women turning away? https://t.co/8OCa7eToZD

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) July 5, 2021

A longer version of the video can be seen here:

98-year-old World War II veteran Pete DuPré played the national anthem on a harmonica before the @USWNT’s Olympic send-off match 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/wnrOnZJhkC

— ESPN (@espn) July 5, 2021

The veteran playing the harmonica is Pete DuPré, who has gained national notoriety playing the anthem at sporting events all over the country. The USWNT protest on Monday was not the first time U.S. athletes have snubbed the flag while qualifying for the Olympics. In late June, hammer thrower Gwen Berry also turned away from the flag during the playing of the national anthem.

Monday’s incident sparked intense backlash on Twitter.

If you don’t feel the US represents your values and you want to protest by turning away from the flag, fine. That’s your right to do so. What confuses me is why you’d choose to represent that same country on a national level.

— Scott Shelton (@GreatScott_11) July 5, 2021

I’d rather field a team with less talent that wants to represent us than talented people playing for themselves. Those that turned away should be replaced.

— Yellow Wizard (@anonyfuss) July 5, 2021

He did and awesome job. Too bad that some of the USA team that turned their backs on him do not understand what blood was shed so they could have their little protest fit!!!

— todd dustin (@todddustin2) July 5, 2021

And some the USWNT turned their backs to it. Meanwhile Mexico, a country with much less quality of life than America, sung every word of theirs. Welcome to America.

— Addison Butler (@AddisonButler17) July 5, 2021

The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Mexico 4-0.

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