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BURTON-ON-TRENT, England (AP) – Kneeling has now pitted a British government official against the England squad in their campaign against racial injustice.
Interior Minister Priti Patel directly opposed players taking part in the anti-racist gesture ahead of European Championship matches.
This is one step further than Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s stance, saying he doesn’t want to see England fans booing players who do, although he hasn’t spoken out to kneel down.
Patel said in an interview with the GB News television channel that she did not support those involved in the “politics of gestures”.
The comments seemed to surprise England defender Tyrone Mings as Patel had previously invited him to a Zoom call to hear about racism and he found her “interested and captivated” by the player’s point of view.
Mings hopes the education will convince people like Patel why the players are on their knees.
“The Home Secretary is one of many people who are opposed to our kneeling or refusing to defend him,” Mings said Tuesday at training headquarters in St. George’s Park in England. . “We have our own set of beliefs and what we think we can do to help, that players can be influential and stand up for what we believe in.
“Of course when you have such strong beliefs there will be opposition to it,” he said.
The players collectively agreed to continue to kneel down despite boos from parts of their own fans, including ahead of kickoff on Sunday when England opened their European Championship campaign with a 1 win. -0 on Croatia at Wembley Stadium.
“We talked about trying to educate or trying to educate the minority that refuses to recognize why we take the knee and want to boo it,” Mings said. “But at the same time at Wembley there has been an overwhelmingly positive reaction to our knee grip as well and I don’t think that should be overshadowed by the minority who refuse to accept the reasons or who disagree with them.”
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