Some of the viewing England fans at home have slammed the few supporters in attendance who booed the Three Lions players taking the knee before tonight’s pre-Euros friendly against Austria.
With fans welcomed back for the first time for an England fixture since the Covid-19 pandemic struck, some brought the nation into disrepute by booing as the players took a knee – a gesture that has become a fixture since football resumed last summer in an effort to combat discrimination.
The fixture was held at the Riverside Stadium of Middlesbrough and thankfully the boos were drowned out relatively quickly by the applause from other supporters.
Reaction to the behaviour of the few has been fierce on social media, with those that boo the taking of the knee branded ‘racists’ in no uncertain terms.
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Boos followed by applause as England players take the knee before kick-off pic.twitter.com/ULu9g6Rht1
— Simon Peach (@SimonPeach) June 2, 2021
Pretty grim to hear so many fans boo the knee here at the Riverside (although good to hear so much applause trying to drown them out). Still, it does make you despair a bit. What do you think the England team is all about?
— Jack Pitt-Brooke (@JackPittBrooke) June 2, 2021
Here is how some of the viewers at home have reacted to the actions of the few:
If you boo the knee, you’re racist. Hate to break it to you #ENGAUS
— Ryan (@Ryan_Headley7) June 2, 2021
England fans go (rightly) mad when our black players are abused overseas. And then do that….
— Christopher John (@Moley1985) June 2, 2021
How do those booing think they make the England players feel? It’s anything but inspiring for them
— ?Anthony ? McDonald? (@AntMcD7) June 2, 2021
It makes me sad that there are so many racists in this country
— Andrew (@Andrew30584708) June 2, 2021
Sadly racists are going to racist.
— Craig Harrison (@peg_leg5125) June 2, 2021
Disgusting if you ask me considering we have so many black players. The black players are stupid cause if that was me. Would boycott the national team until they show respect!
— Roman Empire ? (@LegendsLeague7) June 2, 2021
This is just one of the reasons lots of English football fans don’t follow England
— Ian Hillard (@HillardIan) June 2, 2021
Whilst many may be against the taking of the knee, which become a worldwide gesture after the death of George Floyd in America, for politically (or anti-political in this case) reasons, there has to be a better way to react than booing.
Many seem to argue that shooting down the team whilst they take the knee is actually very disrespectful to the black players within the England squad, which is truly unacceptable and sick behaviour.
With a major tournament around the corner, which will see many of England’s fixtures played on home soil, we’ll unfortunately have to accept that this will be a regular occurrence, which is very saddening.
England fans booing is not because they are racist. This Black Live Matter is a Marxist organization with no credibility yet it is adopted around the world as a peace symbol. Don’t tell me because you drop a knee you are changing the world opinions
They booed because of the hypocrisy of these celebrities not because that fans are racist(At least not many)…Most of these players/celebrities do what their Agents, PR/Brand managers tell them to do. I wonder how many of these players are really concerned to give their time, money and put efforts to build bridges between different races other than taking a knee for one minute that changes nothing.. most of the players take a knee because they don’t want to get sh*t from this woke far-left fans and arm chair activities on social media…Most of These players/Celebrities/ Politicians/NGO’s/TV channels/ Mega companies(like Nike, Coke, etc) spread more hate between races and build walls between people for their own personal gain rather than building bridges…