Two members of the Marching Chiefs band went political this weekend when they waved flags reading “Black Lives Matter” during the band’s halftime performance.
This past Saturday at FSU’s home game against Syracuse the Marching Chiefs took center field to perform their anticipated Disney medley halftime show. The last song in their setlist was the well-known theme of Pirates of the Caribbean. During the song, members of the band came out dressed in pirate gear and started to fight with foam swords, while two members picked up flags and started to wave them. On the flags, written in gold paint, were the words “Black Lives Matter” in all caps. The flags were up for only about twenty to thirty seconds before one of the band’s directors made them take them down.
According to an anonymous source within the Marching Chiefs, nobody knew that this political statement was going to be made other than the two members waving the flags. Originally, the flags were supposed to be decorated with skulls and crossbones to resemble a stereotypical pirate theme, but the kids involved swapped the flags at the last minute before the performance. As soon as the flags were taken down, the two students—now known to be alternates for the Marching Chiefs though their names are still unknown—were reportedly escorted off the field and out of the stadium.
The Marching Chiefs have yet to make any sort of statement regarding the act or any consequences the students involved might face.