Gary Lineker was among those ridiculing Dominic Raab for suggesting Game Of Thones is responsible for taking the knee.
The Foreign Secretary came under fire for claiming he wouldn’t ‘take the knee’ in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and incorrectly commenting that it derived from the hit HBO series.
The gesture has been used during anti-racism demonstrations across the world, sparked by the death of George Floyd, to express solidarity against racial injustice.
NFL star Colin Kaepernick was seen getting down on one knee as the US national anthem played before games in 2016 and footballers recently marked the return of the Premier League by taking the knee to show their support for Black Lives Matter.
After Raab revealed he’s unsure of the gesture’s ‘broader history’ and said it seems to come from Game Of Thrones, Lineker couldn’t help but poke fun.
‘Suppose I should finally get around to watching Game Of Thrones. Hadn’t realised it had such a symbolic influence on these times,’ he sarcastically tweeted in response.
He added: ‘The country should stick to footballers to run it.’
Having his say, Raab had told talkRADIO: ‘I take the knee for two people, the Queen and the Mrs when I asked her to marry me.
‘I understand this sense of frustration and restlessness that is driving the Black Lives Matter movement.
‘I’ve got to say, on this taking a knee thing, I don’t know, maybe it’s got a broader history but it seems to be taken from The Game of Thrones, feels to me like a symbol of subjugation and subordination rather than one of liberation and emancipation.’
Raab did say that he has nothing against those that choose to take the knee, adding: ‘But I understand people feel differently about it so it’s a matter of personal choice.’
Although, his comments faced plenty of backlash, with critics calling Raab’s comments ‘insulting’ and ’embarrassing’.
Responding, Raab tweeted: ‘To be clear: I have full respect for the Black Lives Matter movement, and the issues driving them. If people wish to take a knee, that’s their choice and I respect it. We all need to come together to tackle any discrimination and social injustice.’
The Black Lives Matter has gained fresh momentum in recent weeks, following the death of George Floyd – an unarmed black man – in Minneapolis.
He died following his brutal arrest which saw a white police officer kneel on his neck for nearly nine minutes. All four officers involved in Floyd’s death have now been charged.
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