No10 cops ‘take the knee’
Police officers outside Downing Street ‘took the knee’ in solidarity with Black lives Matter protesters last night.
Members of the 2,000-strong crowd in Whitehall urged officers to join them in the kneeling gesture that began in the US but has now spread globally.
Four obliged, lowering themselves to one knee, to the approval of the crowd who urged others to join them.
one man was heard saying: ‘You and me. Take a knee with me, bro,’ to another officer nearby who knelt while onlookers cheered.
The move was echoed by firemen in uniform during an anti-racism demonstration in Windrush Square, Brixton, south london, and dozens copied it in edinburgh.
The ‘taking the knee’ gesture was inspired by American football player colin Kaepernick and it has become synonymous with the Black lives Matter movement. Kaepernic, who played for the San Fransisco 49ers, knelt during the US national anthem before a game in order to protest against police brutality in 2016.
His move was lauded, but it made him a pariah in the NFl and he has not played since. Donald Trump called on protesting players to be fired for disrespect and the NFl fined all those who took part. Mr Trump said at the time: ‘You have to stand proudly for the national anthem or you shouldn’t be playing, you shouldn’t be there, maybe you shouldn’t be in the country.
‘Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFl owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, “Get that son of a b **** off the field right now, out, he’s fired. He’s fired”. That’s a total disrespect of our heritage. That’s a total disrespect of everything that we stand for.’
That outburst led to more than 200 players sitting or kneeling during the anthem at games the following weekend.
Since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, many police officers in the US have shown solidarity with protesters by hugging, praying and taking a knee with them.
The chief of Denver Police was even seen linking arms with people as they marched through the streets which helped ease tensions. campaign group Stand Up to Racism called on people in Britain to take a knee on their doorsteps last night in a similar tribute to the weekly clapping for frontline NHS staff and carers.
‘Shows solidarity with protesters’