Millwall fans APPLAUD as players link arms carrying anti-racism banner before some take the knee
Millwall fans APPLAUD as players link arms carrying anti-racism banner before some take the knee after controversy over BOOS before Saturday’s match – but did stadium drown out dissent with loud music?
- QPR players took the knee and linked arms with Millwall at clash at The Den
- Tonight’s match in South London stadium is Millwall’s first since Saturday
- Millwall players were booed for taking the knee in their Derby fixture
- Yet supporters defended booing and took aim at ‘extreme’ BLM movement
QPR players all took the knee and linked arms with the rival Millwall side at tonight’s game after fans booed them for associating with the ‘extreme’ Black Lives Matter group on Saturday.
Millwall players held an anti-racism banner that said ‘inequality’ with the ‘in’ crossed out on the halfway line at The Den in South London.
The QPR side then linked arms with Millwall players and took the knee, just days after crowds berated players at Millwall’s Derby fixture at the weekend for dropping to the ground ahead of kick-off.
Football fans applauded the anti-racist display, though dissenters would have been drowned out by loud music blasted by the venue.
Spectators entering the stadium tonight received a letter from Millwall which asked them to respect ‘those opposition players taking the knee’ – calling it ‘their right to do so’.
The club called tonight’s game ‘one of the most important days in Millwall’s history’, adding: ‘Last night the club released a statement announcing its new United for Change initiative.
‘Lions fans from all over the world were unanimous in their support. It is your duty and responsibility as a member of the crowd tonight to continue that superb backing.
Millwall players hold up a ‘United for Change’ banner before the match at The Den
QPR players linked arms with their rivals and took the knee, just days after crowds berated players in Millwall’s Derby fixture for dropping to the ground ahead of kick-off
Millwall’s Mahlon Romeo raises his fist in the air prior to kick-off during the Sky Bet Championship match at The Den, London
QPR players kneel before the match while a large TV screen says ‘Inequality, United for Change’
Millwall players held an anti-racism banner that said ‘inequality’ with the ‘in’ crossed out on the halfway line at The Den in South London
‘Before kick-off, our players and those from QPR, will link arms in a show of unity and togetherness towards the fight against discrimination. We know that the crowd, as has always been the case, will be fully supportive of that gesture.
‘As also was made clear last night, we ask that those opposition players taking the knee are respected, as it is their right to do so.
‘The eyes of the world are on this football club tonight – your club – and they want us to fail. Together as one, we will not let that happen.’
Millwall had previously said it was ‘dismayed and saddened’ by last weekend’s behaviour and warned anybody found guilty of racial abuse would be handed a lifetime ban.
Players were braced for repeated hostility tonight after supporters defended the actions of the hecklers, who were supposedly lashing out at the BLM movement.
A statement from the Millwall Supporters’ Club on Sunday said ‘We fervently believe that the motives of those behind the booing were not racist.’
It added: ‘Anyone who believes it was a racist act should read the views of those who booed and see they were doing it in reaction to the war memorials and statues of (Winston) Churchill defaced by the BLM organisation and the extreme political views they hold and for which ‘taking the knee’ is associated with.’
The BLM movement, which has snowballed in support in the wake of George Floyd’s death, has been accused of straying beyond its anti-racism origins and becoming a brazen Left-wing organisation which calls to defund the police.
A senior source at Millwall had told Sky Sports News that some of Millwall’s staff and players were ‘left in tears’ by the hecklers and the condemnation that followed.
Cabinet minister George Eustice waded into the row on Sunday, calling Black Lives Matter ‘actually a political movement that is different to what most of us believe in, which is standing up for racial equality’.
He told Sky News: ‘My personal view is that Black Lives Matter, capital B, L and M, is actually a political movement that is different to what most of us believe in, which is standing up for racial equality.
‘Each individual can take their own choices about how they reflect this. I know a number of people feel quite strongly and have taken that approach.’
Football players had privately discussed walking off the pitch if their pre-game gestures are booed, sources told Sportsmail.
Watford captain Troy Deeney publicly said he would have no issue abandoning the match if faced with racism.
He told talkSport: ‘When they boo, I’ll still be there. But if it gets to that line of racial things being said to me or my players, we’ve already had a conversation about what happens. We walk, simple.’
The club said in a statement: ‘Players from Millwall and Queens Park Rangers will stand arm-in-arm with each other in a show of solidarity for football’s fight against discrimination ahead of kick-off at The Den on Tuesday night.’
It added: ‘Millwall believe that this gesture, which the club hopes to repeat with other visiting teams in the coming weeks and months, will help to unify people throughout society in the battle to root out all forms of discrimination.
‘QPR have informed Millwall that a selection of their players wish to take the knee as a way of showing their support for anti-discrimination efforts – a gesture which the club respects and it firmly asks all those in attendance to do likewise.’
Millwall also said they had started an ‘audit of board members, staff, volunteers and participants as part of an ongoing commitment towards equality, diversity and inclusion’.
It comes after Millwall fans booed players taking the knee before their game against Derby
The FA have now launched an investigation into what happened at the Den on the weekend
The BLM movement, which has snowballed in support in the wake of George Floyd’s death, has been accused of straying beyond its anti-racism origins and becoming a brazen left-wing organisation. Pictured: Protesters in Notting Hill in west London on August 30
The club added that a ‘new widespread and multi-faceted anti-discrimination strategy’ would include ‘the formation of an equality, diversity and inclusion code of practice to cover departments throughout the club’s activities and recruitment processes.’
QPR, which stopped taking the knee in September amid concerns the action had become ‘diluted’, also released a statement ahead of the game.
Chief executive Lee Hoos said: ‘We have always been at the forefront of encouraging equality and diversity while tackling discrimination in all its forms. Our initial approach to this particular situation was for all our players to take the knee in a show of solidarity.
‘However, following a series of discussions with Millwall, as well as internal conversations involving myself, director of football Les Ferdinand, manager Mark Warburton and the entire first team squad, it was agreed that standing shoulder to shoulder with our opposition players would be a more powerful response.
‘On top of this, some of our players wish to take the knee and we fully support this action.’
A statement from the FA earlier on Monday said: ‘The FA can confirm that investigations are under way into crowd-related incidents at both The Den and JobServe Community Stadium on Saturday 5 December 2020.
‘Observations have been sought from all of the relevant parties and they will have until Thursday 10 December 2020 to provide their respective responses.’
