A German soccer team took a knee before their game on Saturday in a show of solidarity with NFL players in the US who've been kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice.
Hertha BSC stands for tolerance and responsibility! For a tolerant Berlin and an open-minded world, now and forever… https://t.co/9j4Wx2yxlo
This US protests, pioneered last year by former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, was reignited last month when President Donald Trump called the kneeling players sons of bitches and said they should be fired for refusing to stand during the National Anthem.
But rather than quelling the protests, Trump's comments prompted dozens of players to take the knee or link arms in solidarity.
At Hertha Berlin's game on Saturday, both the team and the coaching staff kneeled.
#TakeAKnee
"Hertha BSC stands for tolerance and responsibility! For a tolerant Berlin and an open-minded world, now and forevermore!" the team wrote on Twitter.
The team did not kneel during the German national anthem, as some reports said. The German national anthem is not traditionally played at German sporting events.
Many people online praised Hertha Berlin for joining the protest.
Things just got even more interesting. A GERMAN football team took a knee. Love it! https://t.co/7hskMgQb13
@HerthaBSC_EN This is amazing!!!
RESPECT. 👏 https://t.co/Nb5uF9UrlI
"It's spreading," one person remarked.
it's spreading... https://t.co/PvaFp6rmfy
Though, some people criticized the team.
Fuck off with this and just play football 😂🙈 https://t.co/klj9sWlmyZ
Struggling to find words for how wrong this is. https://t.co/zdXK0okpgl
Still, many noted how significant the gesture was from Germany.
Here in Berlin, a city that has had to count the cost of intolerance, this means a lot. And everyone kneeled, coach… https://t.co/PiRHRCuDrT
When it takes Germans starting to #takeaknee for Americans to realise that it's not about flags or anthems. https://t.co/oDmAa5YKnm
The Germans. I said, the Germans. https://t.co/uHzSv4XVE7
Thank You Germany your citizens has learned from your past history. America hasn't. Thxs for the support. https://t.co/MoopPd3f8a
"Love that this movement is spreading," one person said. "However, it's important not to forget why it began — racial injustice and police brutality."
love that this movement is spreading. however it’s important not to forget why it began-racial injustice and police… https://t.co/tIIspzljmP