On September 10, the Browns are scheduled to get their asses beat by play Pittsburgh at home and they asked Cleveland PD and EMS to participate in carrying a large American flag onto the field during the opening ceremony. That is no longer happening.

Cleveland’s police union will not be holding the American flag for a pregame ceremony for the Brown’s first game Sept. 10, Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association President Steve Loomis said late Friday.

Union members had planned on participating in the flag ceremony for the first game on Sept. 10 until some Browns players kneeled during the National Anthem before a preseason game, Loomis said in an interview with cleveland.com.

The players not standing for the national anthem is offensive because of the sacrifices that people make that allows these guys to enjoy the success that they have, Loomis said. While they’re benefiting from protection of the flag they are kneeling in disrespect of it, he said.

The Browns management and ownership condoned this disrespectful activity of their employees, Loomis said.

“It’s just ignorant for someone to do that,” he said. “It just defies logic to me. The fact that management was aware of what they planned on doing, that’s as offensive as it can get.”

Indeed, this, for instance, was posted to Instagram by Cleveland running back Isaiah Crowell:

I stopped watching NFL games last season in part because of this nonsense. I refuse to contribute to the income of people who think it is cool to denigrate their country…other than my tax dollars going to Democrat politicians, I mean. Good on Cleveland PD and EMS for standing up for what is right. It doesn’t make any difference though. If Cleveland and NFL management were capable of shame this would have been stomped out when it started.