LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Shoppers got more than they bargained for Thursday at the Promenade in west Little Rock after police showed up to find man waving a flag outside the Nike store.
"Now what better place to wave the flag than right here in front of the Nike store," Jimmie Cavin can be heard saying in a video he posted to Facebook.
Cameras captured Cavin sitting outside the store with a blue-line flag fluttering in the wind.
"It was lunch time, so they were full and I know people were watching from over there," Cavin said in an interview on Friday.
"My priority is supporting law enforcement, firefighters and paramedics."
Cavin tells us, he sat on his tailgate and didn't say anything to anybody.
"I guess probably 15 minutes into it, a Little Rock patrol car pulled up," Cavin says.
According to a police report Cavin showed us, officers showed up after a store manager reported a disturbance.
"Of course, we chatted," Cavin says.
"He realized I wasn't doing anything wrong."
Cavin says, almost as quickly as they arrived, police left.
"So, Nike called the police on the guy supporting the police for supporting the police," Cavin says.
It comes on the heels of the Nike's new promotional launch featuring Colin Kaepernick. The former NFL quarterback drew controversy for kneeling during the national anthem.
While Cavin may not agree with Kaepernick, he says he supports Kaepernick's right to express himself.
"I usually fly them on my truck too," Cavin says.
It illustrates a firm grip on freedom but not without some checks and balances.
"I mean, just an ol' redneck sitting on his tailgate waving a flag," Cavin says.
We reached out to the Nike media relations department, it told us the company respects the right to peacefully protest.
Cavin has posted up at several different spots in central Arkansas over the years waving different flags in support of law enforcment and first responders.
He plans to continue doing so despite Thursday's incident.
The Nike manager calling the police about a peaceful, silent protest reeks of hypocrisy. Nike’s public affairs philosophy appears to be “hold my beer and watch this”
Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity
DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
Posts: 24369 | Location: Northern Suburbs of Houston | Registered: November 14, 2005
I don’t see how it cold even be called a “protest”, he said nothing against anything. Hell he said nothing at all. All he did was wave a blue line flag in support of police.
If anything it was a one-man rally in support of the police. Not a “protest” at all.
What part of "...Shall not be infringed" don't you understand???
Posts: 11597 | Location: Western WA state for just a few more years... | Registered: February 17, 2006
Originally posted by 911Boss: I don’t see how it cold even be called a “protest”, he said nothing against anything. Hell he said nothing at all. All he did was wave a blue line flag in support of police.
If anything it was a one-man rally in support of the police. Not a “protest” at all.
Media reporters, editors, and script-writers have the word "protest" on speed dial.
הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים
Posts: 32151 | Location: Central Florida, Orlando area | Registered: January 03, 2010
Instead of taking advantage of a golden opportunity for good publicity, the store manager reverberated Nike’s newest message- thugs over cops. Even better that they openly called it a “protest”, trying to equate it to what assholes in the NFL are doing.
“Remember to get vaccinated or a vaccinated person might get sick from a virus they got vaccinated against because you’re not vaccinated.” - author unknown
