Players who scored in the German and Hungarian soccer leagues removed their jerseys to display undershirts with the words: “Justice for
Others from English soccer clubs
In
Dismayed by the death of Floyd and inspired by the actions of
“I can’t tolerate. I won’t tolerate. WE WON’T TOLERATE,”
It was powerful image to accompany the picture of 29 Liverpool players kneeling around the center circle at
Their actions mimicked the one made by Kaepernick during the national anthem in 2016 in silent protest of police brutality and racism while then playing for the
Kaepernick's gesture kicked off a period of pregame activism in the NFL and other sports but it didn’t gain a strong hold worldwide.
Not like the killing of Floyd, a black man and former community college basketball player who died after a white police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for several minutes even after he stopped moving and stopped pleading for air.
“It hit a nerve in this very particular time, which I think made people all around the world reflect on the environment we live, not only in the
“We're seeing a generation of players right now moving into the steps of athletes in the past who were socially quite engaged and willing to put themselves behind causes they care about. I think it's incredibly empowering to see these players step forward and share in that fight for a better society.”
Things have escalated so much that
“The application of the laws of the game … should use common sense and have in consideration the context surrounding the events,”
English soccer leaders have already said players will be able to show solidarity without the prospect of facing sanctions when games resume this month after a three-month break because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Emboldened soccer players appear to be more confident in speaking out about racism than ever before, including
Soccer players may also take what has happened to Floyd more personally because of how often black players have been abused inside stadiums around
As their own form of protest, some black players have taken to walking off the field after being racially abused by fans because many have little faith in authorities and governing bodies to effect change.
That's the position many protesters in
Baer-Hoffman said the reaction of sports stars was a reflection of uncertain times around the world since the outbreak of the coronavirus.
“Maybe it’s because we are living in a time where the interconnectedness of people through the pandemic has become more conscious to us all,” he said.
“When you look at the images (of the incident involving Floyd), it is manifestly disturbing. It scares you and forces you to think … I think it stands for something much greater. For footballers in this context, they are people ... They are speaking out and, of course, have a bigger platform than most.”
When Kaepernick took a knee four years ago,
“In no way are we asking black lives to matter more than white lives,”
“All we’re asking is we are seen as equal, as more than 3/5 of a man, as humans. My heart goes out in solidarity to
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