‘Keep taking the knee and annoying racists’
KICK IT OUT CHAIR BHANDARI SLAMS FOOTBALL FANS FOR BOOING ANTI-HATE ACTION
THE attempt by Millwall Football Club’s fans to portray their booing at players taking the knee in support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement as “political disagreement” has been described as “complete and utter nonsense” by Kick It Out chairman Sanjay Bhandari.
The Football Association (FA) on Monday (7) said it is investigating crowd-related incidents at Millwall and Colchester United, where supporters also booed players taking a knee.
Millwall FC said it was “dismayed and saddened” by the actions of some of their fans, who “held extreme views” and were “not welcome at football” games.
Wayne Rooney, former England captain and manager of Derby County, who were Millwall’s opponents, described the booing as “disgraceful and mindless behaviour”.
Colchester owner and chairman Robbie Cowling added those who wanted to show opposition were not welcome at games.
Anti-racism campaigner Bhandari said: “I am saddened, but not shocked. I knew this would happen at some point, but am saddened it has happened on the first weekend with fans back in stadia. “Racists rarely admit they are racists – they try to hide their views under a seemingly respectable cloak.
“The cloak this time is the gestures are really in support of some political movements associated with the Black Lives Matter slo
gan. This is mischievously portrayed as a political disagreement. It is complete and utter nonsense. Generally, the only people who oppose anti-racist gestures are racists. If taking a knee offends them, good. We want them to be offended.”
Kick It Out will meet deputy chief constable Mark Roberts, the National Police Chiefs’ Council football policing lead “to discuss this issue and potential action”.
Players in England have been taking a knee before matches since June in support of the BLM movement. It spread around the world following protests over the death of black American George Floyd while being arrested by a white police officer in Minneapolis in May.
The Premier League and Football League have since linked the gesture to their own anti-racism campaigns, including ‘No Room for Racism’.
Bhandari urged players to continue to take the knee.
“It is a gesture that has been driven by players and supported by clubs and leagues. Players do it to highlight the fight for racial equality.
“It is explicitly not an endorsement of any specific political movement. I urge the players to continue to defy the hate and to defy the racists. Keep taking a knee. Keep protesting. Keep annoying racists. If you need to walk off the pitch, walk off the pitch.”
Millwall said their players will link arms with opponents Queens Park Rangers at their home game on Tuesday (8) “in a show of solidarity for football’s fight against discrimination”.
The Kick It Out logo will replace their main kit sponsor Huski Chocolate for the match, the club added, and an anti-racism banner will be held aloft by the teams. Bhandari said: “There are many good people at Millwall, in the boardroom and on the terraces, who are deeply upset. We will continue to work with them.”