Fans boo as players kneel at an English soccer match

Fans who attended a second-tier English game between Millwall and Derby on Sunday were mocked as players knelt in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

In video footage posted on social media, boos were clearly heard from the stands as both sets of players made the symbolic gesture after the referee blew the whistle to signal the start of the match at The Den, the local stadium. from Millwall.

English soccer players have continued to kneel this season to show their support for the fight against discrimination following the death of George Floyd in the United States. Floyd, a handcuffed black man, died on May 25 after a white police officer pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck when he said he couldn’t breathe.

A limited number of fans are allowed in stadiums in England this week for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak in March. This was the first fan game at The Den since February 29, and 2,000 were allowed to enter the ground.

In what appears to be a response to the incident at the Millwall-Derby game, the English Football Association said it “supports all players and staff who wish to take a stand against discrimination in a respectful way, which includes kneeling.”

“It strongly condemns the behavior of any viewer who actively expresses opposition to such activities,” the FA said.

The issue of kneeling players was discussed in a Millwall fan forum this week and a statement from the first team team was posted on the club’s official website on Friday.

“As a team, we fully support the efforts of the entire football family to rid the sport and society at large from all forms of discrimination,” the statement read.

“It is our duty as players to reinforce the positive message and action of clubs, community trusts, charities and governing bodies, and we do so with great pride and knowledge that great work is being done across the country. The gesture ‘Kneeling’ before games gives us the opportunity to do exactly that and continues to allow everyone who plays to publicly show their support, on behalf of the entire team, for the fight against discrimination.

He added that the gesture of kneeling is, in the opinion of the club, “in no way representative of any agreement with a political or ideological message.”

“It is purely about addressing discrimination, as has been the case,” the statement read.

Millwall, an East London club, was famous for its fight against vandalism in the 1970s and 1980s.