PETA claims patriotic Super Bowl ad was banned by NFL

Animals, including a bee, snake, eagle, and fish, all take a knee in PETA's animated Colin Kapernick-inspired ad created for the Super Bowl airwaves. The controversial commercial, which has voices gently humming the "Star Spangled Banner," calls for an end to "speciesism." But, the animal rights organization is reporting that it was blocked by the NFL and won't be showing on TV this Sunday, or ever.

The National Football League (NFL) apparently found our new Colin Kaepernick-inspired ad-with its message of inclusion and respect-too daring and pressured FOX to snub our commercial.

In 2016, Kaepernick put a national spotlight on the racial inequality that plagues the U.S.-and we applaud him for doing so with the simple yet powerful and peaceful act of taking a knee.

PETA worked with a talented group of advertisers and artists who came up with the idea for our beautiful ad. Positively acknowledged by Kaepernick himself, this project pays homage to all movements that remind us to open our hearts and minds and reject all forms of injustice, including sexism, ableism, racism, ageism, homophobia, and speciesism.

THIS is the PETA #SuperBowl ad the @NFL apparently didn't want you to see and pressured @FOXSports to snub.

It envisions a world where respect is the right of every being and pays homage to Kaepernick and movements rejecting injustice. https://t.co/kD1osnKhuX #EndSpeciesism pic.twitter.com/clXzU79aZV

- PETA (@peta) January 31, 2020

screengrab via PETA/YouTube