World News – UK – Millwall fans boo players kneeling on their return to the stadium

Two thousand championship club supporters came back to The Den for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak for their game against Derby on Saturday

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Some Millwall supporters booed the players who dropped their knees ahead of their championship game against Derby County on Saturday.

The club’s fans returned to The Den for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak. 2. 000 players were allowed to play against the Rams because the area was in Tier 2.

Players and staff from teams across the country have been kneeling down for months in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

But there was a noisy show of disapproval from a significant number of Millwall fans as it first happened before them on Saturday.

Millwall’s first-team squad released a pre-game statement regarding the knee injury.

They said: “As a squad, we fully support the efforts of the entire football family to rid the sport and society in general from all forms of discrimination.

“It is our duty as players to reinforce the positive message and action from clubs, community trusts, charities and governing bodies, and we do so with great pride and knowledge that so much good work is being done across the country.

“The gesture of kneeling down before matches gives us the opportunity to do just that, and it continues to allow all players to publicly demonstrate their support – on behalf of the entire squad – for the fight against discrimination.

“We want to make it clear that the knee is in no way representative of an agreement with a political message or ideology. It is all about combating discrimination, as has been the case across the board.

“We will do this by the beginning of the new year, when the club announces a new and comprehensive anti-discrimination strategy. ”

They said in a statement: « The FA supports all players and staff who wish to speak out against discrimination in a respectful way, including knee harvesting, and strongly condemns the behavior of all viewers who actively express their opposition to such activities. « 

Lions fans may return to watch their team, among other things, with only clubs in Tier 3, the strictest coronavirus restrictions, being prevented from doing so.

Every club in Tier 1 may 4. There are no professional teams in those few areas.

Fans returned to other EFL clubs mid-week, including Wycombe and Luton in the championship.

Arsenal had on Thursday 2. 000 spectators in the Emirates when the Europa League faced Rapid Vienna. This marked the first time fans had returned to the Premier League.

And there will be supporters for a handful of Premier League games this weekend, the first of which will take place at the London Stadium as West Ham host Manchester United for tea time on Saturday.

Millwall F. . C.. . , EFL Championship, Derby County Football Club