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- A section of Millwall FC fans booed the players who chose to kneel.
- Athletes around the world have chosen to kneel before games in support of Black Lives Matter.
- Before the game, the first team reaffirmed its support for the anti-racist act.
- Following the incident, the club expressed dismay that the game was “overshadowed” by the boos.
- Derby County interim manager Wayne Rooney called the situation “very surprising.”
- Visit the Insider home page for more stories.
After a long hiatus, fans of South London club Millwall FC were finally able to return to their home stadium, The Den, to watch their team play Derby County.
This was the first match that fans were able to attend after the coronavirus pandemic halted games for an extended period. 2,000 people attended the socially distanced sporting event.
The game, however, was overshadowed by dramatic boos and taunts towards the players.
As has become customary in sports games around the world, athletes often “kneel” in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and in protest at the murder of George Floyd earlier this year.
When the Millwall FC players decided to kneel before the game began, they were met with loud boos from a section of the crowd.
Images of the incident were released on Saturday night.
—Oliver⚒🎄 (@HammerzOliver) December 5, 2020
On Friday night, before the game was to take place, the Millwall first team issued a statement reaffirming their support for taking the knee.
In the statement, they wrote: “We want to make it clear that kneeling, for us, is in no way representative of any agreement with political messages or ideology. It is purely about addressing discrimination, as has been the case throughout.”
They then expressed their intention to continue to do so until the beginning of the new year.
On Sunday, the club issued a follow-up statement in response to the boos from fans.
The club stated that it was “due to events that marred Saturday’s game against Derby County at The Den.”
The statement continued: “The club has worked tirelessly in recent months to prepare for the return of the fans and what should have been a positive and exciting occasion was completely overshadowed, much to the disappointment and chagrin of those who have contributed to those efforts. . “
They expressed their intention to meet with the anti-racism charity Kick It Out to discuss how to move forward.
This follows a statement released by Kick It Out President Sanjay Bhandari on Saturday night. He applauded the “players for taking a stand and defying the hatred shown today.”
—Kick It Out (@kickitout) December 5, 2020
Millwall player Mahlon Romeo accused fans of “spreading hatred”.
Speaking to the South London Press, he said: “I was almost speechless. I don’t know how they thought that would make me feel. I don’t know what they thought kneeling meant. But I think I’ve explained it quite simply. I feel very depressed, probably the lowest I’ve ever felt in my time at this club. “
The English Football Association also condemned the boos.
“Support all players and staff who wish to take a stand against discrimination in a respectful manner, which includes kneeling,” the organization told CNN.
Derby County interim chief Wayne Rooney was “very surprised” by how events unfolded.
“Everyone at Derby Country has fully supported the knee so it was quite surprising and I’m sure our players could have had a hard time hearing that,” he told talkSPORT.
Some Millwall fans have a reputation for racist and violent behavior, dating back decades.
Last year, they got into a fight with Everton fans and were accused of racist chants. The FA fined the club £ 10,000 and forced it to come up with a 12-point action plan to prevent such behavior from happening again.
At other times, the club has also narrowly avoided punishment from fans who yell racist insults.
According to the Millwall website, the club is “committed to leading anti-discrimination measures and initiatives in the football industry.”
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