Tennessee man says he was fired after being spotted sitting during national anthem at weekend event

A Tennessee man says that he was fired from his job at a local kickboxing gym because he sat during the national anthem at a weekend event.

Local news station Fox 17 reports that Tyler Chancellor, who until this week had been an employee at the 9Round gym in Chattanooga, says that he was invited to attend an event at the Camp Jordan arena. During the national anthem, Chancellor chose to stay seated, in solidarity with professional athletes who kneel during the anthem to protest against police brutality against black Americans.

"Me being a minority in this society, I chose to stand up for what I believe in- well not actually stand up, but sit down for what I believe in," Chancellor explains to Fox 17.

Chancellor didn't realize that he had done anything wrong until Monday, when his boss told him that he was being let go over his decision to sit during the anthem.

"She said because you sat down, you were a part of a 9Round event, and you sat during the national anthem," Chancellor says. "We no longer want to continue business with you. There was no sugar coating."

Chancellor, who says he comes from a military family, tells Fox 17 that he has no regrets about his decision to sit during the anthem, despite the fact that it cost him his job.

Watch Fox 17's report below.