NFL protests are protected speech but 'misguided': U.S. House speaker

[September 29, 2017]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan on Thursday said National Football League players' protests were constitutionally protected free speech, but their decision to kneel while the national anthem played at games was "misguided."

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) speaks during a press briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., September 7, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

"Clearly people have a right to express themselves," Ryan told reporters at a news conference. But doing so in front of the U.S. flag, "it looks like you're protesting against the ideals of America... I think it's misguided," he added.

(Reporting by Amanda Becker and Susan Heavey; Editing by Bernadette Baum)

[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.