Piers Morgan slammed fans of the Millwall Football Club who booed players for taking a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement during a Sunday Championship match against Derby, earning himself praise and pushback.
On Monday’s Good Morning Britain, Morgan berated both the fans and UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab as “idiots” for taking a stand against the kneeling.
The host said the players’ critics “don’t know what they are talking about,” referring to the fact that Raab had in the past said the gesture to take a knee seemed to have come from the fantasy TV show ‘Game of Thrones’.
Morgan schooled the critics, pointing out that it was US Army Green Beret Nate Boyer who had suggested kneeling as an appropriate form of protest against police brutality to NFL player Colin Kaepernick who popularised it in 2016.
‘Is this what you want your club to be?’@Piersmorgan gives his opinion on Millwall fans booing players taking the knee to show support for BLM.He also reveals how taking the knee to protest racial injustice came about. pic.twitter.com/V4hZyzEsjH
“Dominic Raab, I’m sorry, is an idiot who didn’t know what he was talking about,” the host said, adding, “And because he’s said that, everyone believes it who wants to believe it. It reinforces, it’s a dog whistle to these idiots down at Millwall.”
The GMB host then concluded by saying he “knows not all” Millwall fans are the same. “And I simply say to them – ‘is this what you want your club to be?’”
Morgan’s stance turned out to be highly controversial on social media, as many said that Britons were “sick to death of BLM” and the host was “out of touch with the majority of public opinion.”
People are sick to death of blm,I thought piers had his finger in the pulse,
This shouldn’t be allowed on a pitch …BLM are a political movement and Want to defund the police !! No one approves of racism , BLM is not the way !
Once again out of touch with the majority of public opinion. When are buffoons like this gonna realise that people have had enough of being told what to think??
Others thought Morgan misunderstood the issue entirely, saying that the booing had “nothing to do with racism,” as fans were ostensibly booing “ridiculous” support for BLM as a political movement that is “invading sport.”
❤️ you to bits Piers. My fav. But when the cops knelt to BLM it became political. That’s why the crowd booed. They’re tired of the lectures. Nothing to do with racism. Move on. We’re not the 51st state. I don’t believe you share their political objectives either.
Decent people abhor the booing, however most fans are just annoyed at the way politics has invaded sport. How would people react if sport invaded politics and MPs were asked to take the knee before every session of Parliament.
They weren’t booing black players, they were booing ridiculous support for BLM a political Marxist organisation that wants to get rid of police, overthrow our way of life etc. Nobody should be forced to support a political organisation they don’t believe in.
What makes me laugh is they boo them then a black player scores and they will cheer them and say how amazing they are!! Don’t get it??♂️??♂️
Some commenters, however, were surprised to agree with Morgan, often seen as an opponent of social justice causes. “Why can’t people let others show their beliefs without trying to shout them down?” pondered one person.
OMG!! I actually agree with piers. ? If you don’t agree with it stay quiet. Why can’t people let others show their beliefs without trying to shout them down?
Spot on this morning Mr Morgan. Some people don’t even realise black people have been taking the knee even before this so called political movement was formed. There is nothing political about saying treat us like everyone else.
Others who shared Morgan’s point of view even thought that the players didn’t go far enough and “should have refused to play” to “make a stand” against the booing fans.
@piersmorgan@GMB I think the Millwall players should have refused to play..to make a stand that its not on for their so called fans to boo them
Millwall defender Mahlon Romeo said he felt “personally disrespected” after the crowd booed both teams at the beginning of the first game fans could attend during the pandemic.
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