NFL players protesting police brutality against people of color by taking a knee during the national anthem reached a turning point as more than 200 players participated over the weekend.

The protest brought on the wrath of President Donald Trump, who tweeted multiple times about the issue, saying it was disrespectful to the country and calling for players who participated to be fired.

The issue of the protest became a major discussion point around the country, including here in New Jersey.

Rutgers football coach Chris Ash weighed in on the issue and said that there is no official policy for his teams.

“We are a team and we want to act like a team,” he said. “But…these guys are also people and humans with their own thoughts and beliefs and we want to respect that.

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Some local veterans tell News 12 New Jersey that they were dismayed by the protest.

Vietnam War veteran Richard Furlong says that he is a season ticket holder for the New York Giants and is considering selling his tickets.

“It’s deplorable. That flag is something that we all fought for, so it needs to be respected,” he says. “These people who don’t come out of the locker room, or take a kneel…deplorable.”

National Army Guard veteran Robert Mitterando says, “A lot of veterans feel like it's not about race. It's not about what's going on in this country. It's about honoring our flag and our veterans.”

The veterans tell News 12 that the flag also represents freedom of speech and freedom to protest, but they say that they feel there is a way to protest while still honoring veterans and the American flag.