Screen shot 2018 09 05 at 12 02 00 pm 2
Source: Twitter
Following news that Nike had selected Colin Kaepernick as the face of its Just Do It 30th-anniversary campaign, a number of people took to social to voice their displeasure with the choice, showing photos and videos of themselves damaging apparel they owned from the footwear company. However, there was one photo (or rather three) that became viral that many people believed to be true but, as it turns, wasn't real at all.
READ: NFL Says Social Justice Issues Raised By Colin Kaepernick "Deserve Our Attention And Action"
A man who referred to himself on Twitter as Mustard uploaded to images of himself that showed him lighting a pair of Nikes on fire while he wore them.
Following that, he showed the aftermath of his decision with a picture that showed his feet severely burned (warning: the following image is graphic).
Numerous people found the series of events amusing, commenting on how Mustard's act against the footwear business was, well, really, really stupid.
However, the man behind the viral tweet, Phil Braun, revealed that the entire incident was fake. Turns out that the feet photo is a stock photo. However, it's unknown if Braun actually set his shoes on fire.
Braun spoke with The Daily Dot about the images, saying:
"I am satirizing those on the right who are protesting Nike in this case, by mocking their form of 'protest.' The fact that people think this is something that might be real is quite telling about our society right now. My post is really more of a commentary on how stupid I think they are, by pretending to be stupid myself. I fully support Colin Kaepernick’s right to protest, and support his cause to create dialogue about race."
However, this image of someone who cut the Nike logo off their socks seems to be very, very real.
