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‘Premier League players should continue taking a knee against racism’ – Football star Harry Kane

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Tottenham and England star striker, Harry Kane has called on Premier League players to continue taking a knee before football matches.

The act which has become a tradition in the premier league started when, NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt during the U.S. national anthem last year in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

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George Floyd’s death at the hands of White police officers early this year brought the kneelig act back to the fore, with the Premier League and other sports leagues urging their sportsmen to kneel before each in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter stance against racism and police brutality.

Some critics of the kneeling act believe the act on its own I not powerful enough to send a message, but Kane a white footballer who captains Tottenham and England, believes it is still important for him and his fellow players to kneel prior to every game.

“I think we are a huge platform to share our voices across the world, to be honest,” Kane told Nihal Arthanayake on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“Obviously we have done a lot with Black Lives Matter and taking the knee before games. I hear people talking about taking the knee and whether we should still be doing it, and for me I think we should.

“What people don’t realize sometimes is we are watched by millions of people around the world, and of course for the person who watches the Premier League every week, they see the same thing every week, but I think if you look round the world, you see children watching the game for the first time, seeing us all take a knee and asking their parents asking why we take the knee.

“I think it’s a great chance for people to explain why and get their point across. I think education is the biggest thing we can do – adults can teach generations what it means, and what it means to be together and help each other, no matter what your race.”

Kane also praised England team-mates Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling, who have both been vocal in the fight against racism and childhood hunger.

“I think what Marcus and Raheem have done has been incredible and you see a lot of the work players do for communities and charities, I know first-hand players are doing an awful lot,” Kane said.

“I don’t like it when people say we should just play football and stick to kicking a ball, because we are a huge platform. We come across to millions round the world. Our voices should be heard.”