Kneeling in protest expands to Europe with surprising support from German Bundesliga squad

All 11 starting players for German football club Hertha Berlin BSC kneel on Oct. 14, 2017 before their game against Schalke 04. The team kneeled in favor of American athletes protesting discriminant violence against unarmed African Americans by police officers. Courtesy of Hertha Berlin BSC/Twitter.

On Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, then-San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick did an action that began one of the most controversial topics in American society.

On that fateful night in San Diego, California, a movement was born. 13 months later, the action of kneeling for the national anthem has reached fever pitch multiple times, the latest instance being after President Donald Trump called for NFL team owners to fire the “s.o.b.’s” who protest during the national anthem.

These protests were not against the military, the political climate of America or against any one person; these protests were against the killing of innocent, unarmed African American males by majority-white police officers in America.

These protests by NFL players, although controversial, were meant to tackle a crucial discrimination issue in the nation.

13 months after Kaepernick’s first kneeling, after the killing of countless African American males, after the actions taking place in Charlottesville, Virginia and after the statements made by the President of the United States, protests continue.

However, on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017, the string of protests has stretched across borders, countries and continents.

In the football (soccer) cathedral that is Berlin’s Olympiastadion, Hertha Berlin BSC of the German Bundesliga, with its 11 starting players on the pitch, kneeled and linked arms before their matchup against fellow Bundesliga side Schalke 04, in support of those kneeling during the American national anthem.

You may be wondering if Hertha Berlin have any affiliation with an American team or if their owner is American or if their star player is American.

Hertha Berlin is not affiliated with any American team on any platform or scale, they have a Hungarian head coach and their only American player is third-string goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann, son of legendary German international Jurgen Klinsmann. Even though the older Klinsmann was the former head coach of the U.S. men’s national team, he is not associated with Hertha Berlin and is currently unemployed as a head coach.

Well then, why would a German soccer team with an almost entirely European (and mainly German) roster and zero connection to American sports kneel in protest?

On Twitter, the team posted a picture of their starters kneeling on the pitch with the caption: “Hertha BSC stands for tolerance and responsibility! For a tolerant Berlin and an open-minded world, now and forevermore! #TakeAKnee”.

According to ESPNFC, the Hertha BSC stadium announcer said, “Berlin is colorful. 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.”

ESPNFC also states Hertha BSC’s head coach, Hungarian Pal Dardai, team staff and substitutes all joined in kneeling and linking arms.

After the match, Hertha sporting executive Michael Preetz told reporters: “We live in times in which football clubs...must work out how to position themselves, and this is in tune with the values and the philosophy of Hertha Berlin...We are Berlin. We are open-minded city, and we stand for diversity, and that’s what the team and the club wanted to stand up for today.”

Star forward and Ivorian international Salomon Kalou stated: “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 [the] NFL, and not in football. For us, it’s a good example to show.”

Hertha Berlin’s squad is made up of 33 players from 10 different nations. Although they lost 2-0 to Schalke and are currently in a modest 6th place in the Bundesliga, Hertha Berlin surely expanded their fan base to include a few Americans.