Euro 2020: Fans should not boo players taking the knee, says No 10

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-57439088

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England player Marcus Rashford says booing won't stop the team taking the knee before games

Football fans should not boo players who decide to "take the knee" before matches, Downing Street has said.

Boris Johnson wanted to see fans "getting behind the team to cheer them on" instead, a spokesman said.

It comes after ex-PM Gordon Brown urged Mr Johnson to "publicly support" players making the anti-racism gesture.

No 10 previously declined to condemn fans who jeered when England players took the knee at two recent European championship warm-up games.

England players are set to continue making the gesture during the tournament, which begins this week.

What is taking the knee and why is it an issue at Euro 2020?

Why some fans say they boo England for taking the knee

All you need to know about Euro 2020

The Scotland team has now decided to take the knee for its group-stage game against England at Wembley next week, having previously decided not to.

'Difficult decision'

Manager Steve Clarke said the players had decided to take the action to show "solidarity" with England players "on the receiving end of abuse from fans".

The Scotland players will continue to stand for their other games during the tournament.

Education Minister Gillian Keegan has said players taking the knee was "creating division".

Asked on Friday whether Mr Johnson would condemn supporters who boo, his spokesman replied: "The prime minister respects the right of all people to peacefully protest and make their feelings known about injustices.

"I think the prime minister has spoken before about his desire to get everybody to get behind the national team and the PM would like to see everyone getting behind the team to cheer them on, not boo."

In an interview recorded on Thursday, Mr Brown told the BBC's Political Thinking podcast that players were "bringing the whole country together" by taking the knee, an action in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.

He told host Nick Robinson the team had taken a "difficult decision" in adopting the gesture - which England player Marcus Rashford has called the "right thing to do".

He added: "I don't think it was right for Downing Street not to support Marcus Rashford.

"Marcus Rashford has stood up for some really good causes over the last year, but he's also stood up for far better race relations and community relations in this country. So we should support the team when it does this.

"I hope that the crowds... will actually acknowledge that the footballers are doing something very important and bringing the whole country together."

'Symbolism'

Mr Brown, who was Labour prime minister from 2007 to 2010, told Nick Robinson he would "like Boris Johnson to come out publicly to support the England football team in what they do".

He warned it would be "bad for Britain" if "culture wars started to develop" and "people seized on one instance of someone doing something and trying to make it a big issue that divided the public rather than united the public".

Wales are also taking the knee during Euro 2020

Asked about the booing on Sunday, Mr Rashford said: "It's something that we can't control, and for us we believe [taking the knee is] the right thing to do, so we're going to continue to do it."

England manager Gareth Southgate has said his team's gesture, adopted throughout the last Premier League season, is not "political" but an attempt to highlight racial injustice.

Wales will also take the knee at Euro 2020.

On Friday, Scotland manager Steve Clark said the team had decided to take the knee against England, having "reflected" on the matter as a group after "divisive and inaccurate comments" about their decision to stand instead of kneel.

"We remain committed to our principles of taking a stand, but we must also be unequivocal in condemning the opportunistic false narrative being presented by some," he added.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon backed the team's stance, saying that taking the knee alongside England players was a "good decision".

Minister Gillian Keegan said most of the fans booing the England team would also be against racism

On BBC One's Question Time on Thursday, Ms Keegan said people were "perfectly free" to take the knee, but added it was "symbolism more than action".

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he "absolutely" backed the "symbolism of reminding the world of how painful it is to be subjected to the racism that Marcus Rashford has been subjected to".

He added: "If you then extrapolate to a Black Lives Matter movement that has a political agenda... that's a different place... which is why I think we just have to differentiate and rightly back our team."

American footballer Colin Kaepernick started kneeling during the pre-game national anthem in the NFL in 2016, in protest at police violence against African-Americans.

Since last year, when the Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in the US, many sportspeople around the world have chosen to take the knee.

Nick Robinson's interview with Gordon Brown will be broadcast at 17:30 BST on Saturday on BBC Radio 4. It will also be available on BBC Sounds.