How long should this last ?

Football matches in the 50's/60's were far more orderly and a form of enjoyment and entertainment for all with little or none of the violence etc. that we witness today.

Spectators today are a different breed and some are worse than wild animals from what you see on the news. Society is so full of hatred and violence it does make you wonder where it all comes from.

Racism is just used an excuse to vent the violence that a handful of these pea-brained idiots display, not only at football matches but most places where there are crowds and where they know that they'll get the attention that they attract----buses, trains, planes. If this behaviour is ignored and they lack an audience, then it'll stop.

By " taking the knee " only adds fuel to the smouldering fires of those as described so it's about time that these practices were stopped to give less cause for their need to retaliate in any way.
Where ignorance is bliss 'tis folly to be wise.

I seem to remember a couple of years ago? that players were forbidden to wear a poppy as these were deemed to be political and apparently football is non political. surely bending the knee is political? or does this somehow not count as such, whereas respect for the fallen in conflict whoever they are or wherever they come from does?! Hypocritical band wagon anyone?!

In an ideal world all sport should be non-political, unfortunately our world is far from ideal.

rosecarmel

I don't believe athletes will stop kneeling- And I dont believe entitled white people will stop booing and engaging in hatred for sport, as they always have-

I’m with you all the way there.

Football players are directly affected by racism. They are showing support for their fellow players.

Until racism stops, the players must continue to push back.

Everybody should be against racism.
The symbolism of the kneeling was extremely powerful at the time. It should be phased out now as even sports people are feeling pressurised into making what is now a virtue signalling gesture.
Clubs should concentrate on educating and disciplining their fans (and banning drunks from attending matches).

I am with those who think it should be time limited - as with all such gestures. otherwise they become just mechanical and 'the same old, same old'.

The tribute to the NHS was special, and with its time limit remains special, to its time and significance and 'taking the knee should be the same, time limited and special.

Otherwise it will become somthing like playing the National Anthem in cinemas after the main film. To begin with everyone waited and stood, in the end it ended with the audience trying to get out of the cinema before the credits ended to avoid having to wait for the anthem before they left.

Kaepernick still hasn't been picked up by the NFL- Rapinoe has faced similar challenges for kneeling- And very fact that both have faced these challenges reveals the "mechanics" of inequality-

Loislovesstewie

I think lots of people, in these very trying times, just want to go to watch football. They want a couple of hours when they don't have to think about COVID-19,and all that entails, whether they will have a job in the not-too-distant future as well as all of the other issues that we all have.
Yes, I know Millwall have that reputation, but sometimes people are just fed up with the world and want an escape from it.

So, people watching football is more important than the players they are watching being treated as equal humans?

I really can’t believe that people think that protest should stop because they’ve had their time. What they want hasn’t been accomplished yet. So now the protesting should not stop.

Again, should women have stopped working for the vote when they didn’t get it the first time?

I agree, Dawn French and Vicar of Dibley is a NO watch for me ....taking the knee indeed in what was once a good watch! Never found her funny myself but realise the show was popular with some.....

I agree taking the knee should stop now! same as clapping for NHS. if done for to long the message fades!

I'm surprised that the troublemakers who attend matches haven't been rooted out before now. Passports are taken from those known troublemakers so why not a ban from attending
matches ? Surely to goodness police can spot them a mile off ?

People pay to watch whatever takes place at sporting events- Win or lose- They don't get to dictate which, they can cheer or boo-

The very people that the U.S. slaughtered and stole land from live in poverty- The very land upon which these stadiums were built that generate billions- They've received no restitution-

And yet we're expected to stand for the anthem-

No-

I don't recall saying that there should not be equality.
A few thoughts:
If you look at who is kneeling BTW some black players are no longer kneeling so what to make of that?
Dion Dublin is reported as saying that if we don't all kneel then we are for racism. Bullying people to kneel, solves nothing and I think that some people may well feel that is what is happening.
Do I think there is something wrong with a bit of escapism? No, I don't. We ALL need that from time to time.
If taking the knee goes on for ever it will be meaningless. It will be virtue signalling and nothing else, if it's not already.

The fan may well be paying to escape, but nowhere on their ticket does it indicate that escape will be provided or guaranteed for a fee-

The way Millwall play it's unlikely to be a bundle of laughs.

That's a excellent point Jabberwok, I'd forgotten about players not being allowed to wear poppies.

sorry, I spelled your name wrong.

Poppies on football shirts isn’t forbidden. Premier league teams have them embroidered on every year and then raffle the shirts, with money going to the British Legion/forces charity. FIFA did ONCE fine the 4 nation teams for wearing them in international games as they deemed them political but then reversed their decision so no ban at all.

The problem is that racists don’t like being reminded that they are racist

Anyway kneeling is an act of submission, it may have started as a signof sorrow for an indivdual, but now it is used generally to support a movement kneeling is inappropriate.

I expect people to stand up for their rights not kneel and beg for them.

I dont think its up to you to tell people how they should fight for their rights. People are frequently uncomfortable with the ways campaigns against inequality are run, lots of people did not approve of the suffragette movement and their form of protest.

Anyway, the bullies have won. No more kneeling at Millwall games, they have announced.

tanith

Why does it need to end? Yesterday’s reaction by fans was proof that it needs to continue.

Should go on as long as it needs to; there is still racism in sports and everywhere. Don't think there is a 'best before date' for the Black Lives Matter movement.

I totally agree with Loislovesstewie.
Plus all lives matter.
And it should also be pointed out that Floyd George had a police record,had drugs on his person and drugs was found in his blood stream.
But he still did not deserve tobe killed.

Still people don't get how offensive it is to say "All lives matter"

BTW timetogo2016, the man's name was George Floyd, give him the respect of getting his name right. And how big of you to say he didn't deserve to be killed. So what relevance was there in pointing out his record and the other facts?