UK Foreign secretary asserts taking the knee 'feels like symbol of subjugation'

The foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, views the symbolic Black Lives Matter action of taking the knee as “a symbol of subjugation and subordination”, which he believes comes from the TV programme Game of Thrones.

Taking the knee, whereby people pause with one knee on the ground, has become universally viewed as a show of support for Black Lives Matter and respect for those such as George Floyd, who died at the hands of police in Minneapolis.

A diverse and disparate group in the UK have taken to the knee in public, including the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, some police officers have also done so at BLM protests, as well as Premier League footballers and officials who took the knee on Wednesday before the first games since the pause in the season caused by coronavirus.

It is unknown why Raab believed the pose came from Game of Thrones, the popular TV fantasy series, in which characters demonstrate their submission to others by "bending the knee".

The pose in questioin began in 2016 when Kaepernick, then a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, chose to sit on the team bench rather than stand for the pre-NFL game rendition of the US national anthem, in protest against racism and police brutality.

Kaepernick, who was joined by other players, later decided to pose on one knee, saying this made the same point while showing more respect to military veterans.

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Kaepernick was frozen out of professional sport, but was criticised by Donald Trump and others. He could now return to the NFL, with even Trump saying this would not be a problem for him.

Asked whether he would take the knee to show solidarity with Black Lives Matter, Raab said he would not, adding: “I’d take the knee for two people: the Queen and the Mrs when I asked her to marry me.”

On the subject of his wife he added: “By the way, she disputes that. I had this conversation with her last night. I’m sure I did, but we’d obviously had too much champagne at the time. But I’m certain I did.”

David Lammy, the shadow justice secretary, tweeted:” This is not just insulting to the Black Lives Matter movement, it is deeply embarrassing for Dominic Raab. He is supposed to be the foreign secretary of the United Kingdom.”

Diane Abbott, a former shadow home secretary, said: “‘Taking the knee’ began in 2016 with American athletes refusing to stand for US national anthem. They were protesting police brutality and racism. But Dominic Raab thinks it comes from Game of Thrones!!!”

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In his own later tweet, Raab said: “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.”

Raab’s Game of Thrones theory is not the first time he has aired unusual views. In 2018, as Brexit secretary, he came under criticism – and some mockery – for saying that he had only recently appreciated the importance of the Dover-Calais crossing for UK trade.

In addition to being foreign secretary Mr Raab is also the de facto deputy PM, and stood in for Boris Johnson when the prime minister was ill with coronavirus.

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