Millwall Football Club has said it is “dismayed and saddened” after its players were booed by fans for taking a knee at a match on Saturday.
The long-awaited home game against Derby County at The Den in south-east London saw supporters back in the stadium for the first time since February 29.
But it was “completely overshadowed” when some of the 2,000 home crowd were heard booing the teams for taking a knee in support of the fight against racial discrimination.
In a statement released on Sunday, Millwall said it was ”dismayed and saddened by events which marred Saturday’s game.”
“The club has worked tirelessly in recent months to prepare for the return of supporters and what should have been a positive and exciting occasion was completely overshadowed, much to the immense disappointment and upset of those who have contributed to those efforts,” it said.
“The impact of such incidents is felt not just by the players and management, but by those who work throughout the club and in its Academy and Community Trust, where so many staff and volunteers continue passionate endeavours to enhance Millwall’s reputation day after day, year after year.
“The club will not allow their fine work to be in vain.”
Millwall defender Mahlon Romeo later accused fans of “spreading hatred” and said the incident had left him feeling “the lowest I’ve felt in my time at this club”.
In an interview after the game, Romeo told the South London Press: “Today’s game, to me now, has become irrelevant. The fans have been let back in - which the whole team was looking forward to. But in society there is a problem - and that problem is racism.
“The fans who have been let in today have personally disrespected not just me but the football club. And what the football club and the community stand for. What they’ve done is booed and condemned a peaceful gesture which was put in place to highlight, combat and stop any discriminatory behaviour and racism. That’s it - that’s all that gesture is.”
He continued: “I’m speaking on behalf of myself here – not any of the other players – I want to make that very clear. This is the first time I feel disrespected. Because you have booed and condemned a peaceful gesture which – and it needs repeating – was put in place to highlight, combat and tackle any discriminatory behaviour and racism in general.
“I’m almost lost for words. I don’t know how they thought that would make me feel. I don’t know what they thought taking a knee stood for. But I think I’ve explained it simply enough. I feel really low – probably the lowest I’ve felt in my time at this club.
In response, the Millwall Supporters’ Club said it “fervently” believed that those who took part in the booing were not racist.
The incident has been also been condemned by the English Football League (EFL), Football Association (FA) and anti-racism charity Kick It Out, as well as by Derby interim boss Wayne Rooney.
Environment secretary George Eustice was criticised for not denouncing the fans who booed the players, arguing that Black Lives Matter should be seen as a “political movement”.
Speaking to Sky News’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Eustice said: “My personal view is that Black Lives Matter – capital B, L and M – is actually a political movement that is different to what most of us believe in which is standing up for racial equality.
“Each individual can take their own choices about how they reflect this and I know a number of people feel quite strongly and have taken that approach.”
Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said Eustice’s comments were “disappointing”, tweeting: “These would be disappointing comments from anyone but a Cabinet Minister?
“The PM needs to make clear that this is not the Government’s view.”
The Hope Not Hate campaign also responded to the cabinet secretary’s interview, tweeting: “Saying that ‘Black lives matter’ shouldn’t be controversial and the fact that it is to some says much about the scale of racism in Britain today.
“Footballers have shown leadership on this issue. Government ministers should try doing that too.”
Derbyshire Police confirmed a 25-year-old man has been arrested over “a number of comments of an abusive nature” made on Facebook during the Millwall match.
Prior to Saturday’s game, the squad had released a statement explaining they would take a knee in support of the fight against discrimination and not as a political gesture.