Thousands sign petition appealing Maroon 5 to drop out of Super Bowl halftime show

Thousands of people have signed a petition urging Maroon 5 to pull out of performing at the Super Bowl halftime show in support of former NFL player Colin Kaepernick.

More than 44,000 people have signed the petition on change.org appealing the group to cancel their plans to perform at the sporting event in Atlanta on February 3 next year.

"Kaepernick risked his career to take a knee for equality, and the NFL punished him for it. Until the league changes their policy and support players' constitutional right to protest, no artists should agree to work with the NFL," the petition read.

The 31-year-old former San Francisco 49ers quarterback was the first NFL player to kneel during the national anthem in a peaceful protest against police brutality and racial inequality in 2016.

He has not played since that season and last year filed a grievance against the league and its owners, accusing them of colluding to keep him off the field.

In October, Amy Schumer also urged the band to reconsider performing at the showafter Rihanna decided to skip performing at the Super Bowl because she "supports Colin Kaepernick".

Jay Z claimed on his song "Apest" that he had also turned down an offer to headline the show, and Pink, who sang the national anthem at the Super Bowl this year, also reportedly said no.