Players for German football club Hertha Berlin knelt and locked arms before their match against FC Schalke today.
According to ESPN, the stadium's announcer explained the team's protest, saying that, "Hertha BSC stands for diversity and against violence. For this reason, we are joining forces with the protest of our fellow American athletes to take a stand against discrimination. For a tolerant Berlin, both now and forevermore."
Donald Trump's criticism of NFL players kneeling during the US anthem has made the protests— originally tied to an American sport of limited global popularity— international news.
After the game, Hertha forward Saloman Kalu spoke to the press:
As Hertha we always fight against racism. For us, kneeling down is a way of fighting against this kind of behavior. It should not exist in any kind of sport. Not in NFL, and not in football or soccer, like they call it in the U.S.— it shouldn't exist in any sport, period. For us, it's a good example to show.
