Millwall vs QPR: Fans applaud as visiting players take a knee
Millwall fans applauded as their players remained standing and QPR players took a knee ahead of their Championship fixture at The Den on Tuesday night.
In contrast to Saturday’s game against Derby, there were no boos heard as QPR players and match officials took a knee. Millwall’s Mahlon Romeo raised his fist but no players from the home side opted to take a knee.
Both sets of players also linked arms and held aloft a banner which said ‘Inequality’ with the ‘In’ crossed out, as a show of solidarity against racism and other social injustices.
Millwall players stand before kick-off at The Den
Millwall also wore Kick It Out’s logo on their matchday shirts in place of one of their main sponsors, Huski Chocolate.
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Elias Chair took a knee and raised his fist in celebration alongside Bright Osayi-Samuel after giving the visitor’s the lead in the 53rd minute.
Ilias Chair and Bright Osayi-Samuel celebrated QPR taking the lead by taking a knee and raising their fists in the air
His gesture was met by a few audible boos from those in attendance at the Den.
Ahead of the game, Millwall released a statement reminding fans of their “duty and responsibility” to be supportive of gestures made by either set of players in the fight against discrimination with the “eyes of the world” on the club.
Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman says Millwall scored a public relations own goal by including the phrase “they want us to fail” in the statement made before the game.
Millwall issued this letter to fans ahead of the match against QPR
He said: “I nearly fell off my chair at the final bit of that letter. I wanted to talk about the difficulties the hierarchy of this club have had, the fires they’ve had to put out.
“They’ve been trying hard in the community. I think they’ve scored a PR own goal. I like the idea of handing out a letter to fans – the eyes of the world are on them – but suggesting people want them to fail? That’s a silly thing for the club to say in an official capacity.”
Millwall were allocated 2,000 tickets for Tuesday night’s game. The fans permitted to attend against QPR are the same supporters who were in attendance for Saturday’s game against Derby.
Millwall and QPR players hold up a ‘United For Change’ banner
A section of those fans booed as Derby and Millwall took a knee in support of the fight against racial injustice at…
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