In 1968 Olympics at Mexico City, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, the US athletes won gold and bronze medals respectively. During the medal ceremony, they stood with clenched fists upraised and head bowed when the national anthem was being played. They wore black socks and no shoes to represent Black poverty. Yes, I think they were justified in raising the issue to the International event because the poverty and discrimination being faced by the Black community was not being attended by the government, there was – legal racial discrimination against the African-Americans. Their action succeeded in gaining international attention for the Civil Rights Movement in the US.