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keystone-sda.ch
![The fans in the MLS boo the kneeling players who peacefully protest against racism.]()
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The fans in the MLS boo the kneeling players who peacefully protest against racism.
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imago images/ZUMA Wire
![Dallas defender Reggie Cannon has no sympathy for this.]()
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Dallas defender Reggie Cannon has no sympathy for this.
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Zvg
![He said after the game that he found it “disgusting” how the supporters behaved.]()
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He said after the game that he found it “disgusting” how the supporters behaved.
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![Nevertheless, the Dallas captain emphasizes that one will continue to kneel in the future.]()
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Nevertheless, the Dallas captain emphasizes that one will continue to kneel in the future.
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Getty Images
![«Our generation must now go ahead. We athletes have to be role models, ”says Ziegler.]()
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«Our generation must now go ahead. We athletes have to be role models, ”says Ziegler.
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A racism scandal broke out in the first regular game between Dallas and Nashville last week. Before the kick-off, the players of the two teams including the referee team kneel down. They protest against racism. Just as many have done since the violent killing of Georg Floyd by a police officer.
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But this time, in contrast to the MLS tournament that had just ended shortly before, spectators are again allowed in the stadium. This time the national anthem is also played.
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Players are whistled
Some Dallas fans are bothered by the silent protest against racism, so they boo and whistle loudly at the players. After the final whistle, Dallas defender Reggie Cannon broke the collar. “You can’t even count on the support of your own fans in your own stadium – that’s incomprehensible,” he said into the microphones. And: “How shameful is that? I find it absolutely disgusting. “
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As a result, he is racially insulted in social networks, even threatened with death. The club took the threats very seriously, says Dallas captain Reto Ziegler (34) to BLICK, “that’s why we’ve always trained behind closed doors for the last few days.”
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“This is a peaceful protest”
No matter how ugly and downcast the reactions to this gesture are, he and his colleagues would not stop doing it, said Ziegler. “We’ll kneel down again and again. It’s a peaceful protest. An important gesture. We will not let this be taken from us just because a few in the stadium do not want to understand that we are not demonstrating against America and their anthem when we kneel, but against racism. “
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Therefore, after the ugly incident, the captain asked all his teammates to publish the photo of the kneeling players on their social media channels. Meanwhile, many other MLS footballers have also posted this photo.
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Player not yet on the field at the national anthem
Ziegler does not know whether this will change something in the minds of certain people. “It probably takes a long time before you can change a mentality. But our generation must now go ahead. We athletes have to be role models. “
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Those in charge were aware in advance that there could be boos with fans in the stadium. Still, they wanted to play the national anthem. That’s why Ziegler says: “We were something like guinea pigs at this game.”
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The league has already reacted in the second leg on Sunday evening. This time the anthem was played while we were still in the dressing room, says Ziegler, “before the game we kneeled down again without the anthem. The referee then whistled three times. The first time to kneel, the second time to get up. And the third whistle was the kick-off. “
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With success: this time, the peaceful protest remained peaceful in the stands. It is quite possible that it will stay that way and that the anthem will only be played in future if the players are still in the dressing room. They will continue to kneel down. Like once football professional Colin Kaepernick against racism, who therefore couldn’t find a new team.
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