'Take a knee': Athletes and celebrities protest after Donald Trump's tweets

LeBron James called him a "bum," J.K. Rowlingcited"privilege" andStevie Wonder knelt in solidarity at his Saturday concertDonald Trump's latest feud attacking some of America's best athletes isspilling over into a much wider and deeper confrontation.

The U.S. president continued his condemnation Sunday of athletes on the fieldtaking a knee during The Star Spangled Banner.

"Courageous Patriots have fought and died for our great American Flag," he posted Sunday on Twitter. "We MUST honor and respect it!"

Hours later he tweeted,"Sports fans should never condone players that do not stand proud for their National Anthem or their Country. NFL should change policy!"

Trump's words promptedathletes, entertainers and filmmakers to take a stand by encouraging others to not stand at all.

"It has nothing to do with football or business," music mogul Sean Diddy Combs wrote Saturday in a tweet directed at athletes. "Ya'll are our stars, you represent us. Ya'll are our strong heroes show that strength please."

How it started

The rallying call which has been echoed by a number of high-profile voices from actor Samuel L. Jackson to basketball star Stephen Curry was sparked by the U.S. president's insistence at a public event in Huntsville, Ala., on Fridaythat those protesting the American flag at games should be "fired."

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Quarterback Colin Kaepernick startedthe kneeling protestin 2016 as a player with the San Francisco49ers,refusing to stand for The Star-Spangled Bannerto put a spotlight onthe treatment of black people by police.

Reaction comes quickly

Trump's latest criticism has intensified the pushback Sunday fromNFL players.Most teams in the early afternoon games locked arms in solidarity. At least three team owners joined their players. More than 100 players sat or knelt as a form of protest.

The Pittsburgh Steelers remained in the locker room as the national anthem played before their game with the Chicago Bears. Coach Mike Tomlin stood by himself on the sideline.

Reactions to Trump's anti protest tweets

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Stephen Curry, Steve Kerr and Stevie Wonder react to Donald Trump's tweets about athletes who refuse to visit the White House, and those that protest during National Anthems.

Twenty-sevenplayers from the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens also took a knee at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday. Other coaches and players linked arms while standing.

At a Major League Baseball game on Saturday,Oakland Athletics'catcher Bruce Maxwellknelt for the anthem. He's the first MLB player to do so.

NBAteam visit is off

The Golden State Warriors say they will not go to the White House when they visit Washington, D.C., early next year. Trump rescinded thetraditionalinvitationin a tweet after Curryindicated he didn't want to come.

The back-and-forth alsoled James to call the president a "bum" in a tweet, which has since been "liked" more than 1.3 milliontimes. That puts it among the 20 most liked tweets of all time.

Trump reiterated his stance in a tweet early Sunday morning.

The hashtag "take a knee" soon began trending,igniting a heateddebate amongfans about whether the form of protest isappropriate.

Entertainment world weighs in

Wonder is amongmany in the entertainment industrysupporting the symbolic action.

On Saturday, the legendary musicianwas helped to one knee onstage during a concert in New York by his son, Kwame Morris.

"Tonight, I'm taking a knee for America," Wonder told the audience.

Soon after Wonder knelt on stage, heput his other leg down and faced the audience.

"I'mtaking both knees," Wonder said. "Both knees in prayer for our planet, our future, our leaders of the world and our globe."

Ugly Betty actress America Ferrera applauded the athletes for"strength and courage,"and Olivia Wilde called the sports community "brave."

Selma director Ava DuVernay and comedian and activist Ed Asneralso posted messages using#takeaknee.

Rowlingand Nanjiani weighed in as well on the battle playing out online.

"Historically, taking on Steph Curry or LeBron separately has resulted in failure," said Silicon Valley and The Big Sick starNanjiani. "Taking on them together? Well that's just stupid."