Arsenal, Tottenham want clubs to kneel in Floyd tribute when Premier League returns – sources

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ESPN’s Taylor Twellman reflects on the anti-racism protests by players throughout the Bundesliga.

Arsenal and Tottenham are among the Premier League clubs ready to back a widespread show of support for the Black Lives Matter movement when matches resume next week, sources have told ESPN.

The matter is one of several issues to be discussed at tomorrow’s shareholders’ meeting, with momentum growing for a display of solidarity following protests all over the world in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

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The Football Association have already said that they would not automatically punish any players who publicly declared support and sources have told ESPN that Arsenal will vote in favour of any motion to allow players to take a knee before games begin.

Earlier this week, Spurs were quick to distance themselves from a group of individuals claiming to represent the club when abusing peaceful protesters in Hertfordshire, adding “these are no fans of ours” as they launched an investigation into the incident.

Tottenham are likely to back calls for a league-wide initiative which may include encouraging players to replace handshakes — currently banned due to social distancing measures to tackle the coronavirus pandemic — with an opportunity to take a knee, as several top-flight clubs did in Germany before last weekend’s Bundesliga games.

Players and coaches from both Borussia Dortmund and Hertha Berlin took a knee before kickoff and had a moment of silence, while Bayern Munich T-shirts before their match which read: “Red Against Racism.”

The Premier League are said to be mindful of the strength of feeling behind the cause and want a collective response.

Consultations are expected with anti-discrimination campaigners Kick It Out and Show Racism the Red Card in addition to the Professional Footballers’ Association to determine to send the most powerful message.

Liverpool and Chelsea are among a number of clubs who have published images of their first-team squads taking the knee before training sessions and the league want to avoid a similar dispute to the NFL, where commissioner Roger Goodell has said the league was “wrong” for not listening to players’ concerns when they attempted to protest.

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