Black Lives Matter: Michael Holding slams Pakistan, Australia teams for not taking a knee

The Black Lives Matter movement has been a revolutionary movement that has taken the world by storm in the last few months. The social justice movement advocates peaceful protests against incidents of police brutality and violence against Black people. Several prominent personalities have come forward and seconded the movement. West Indian cricket legend Michael Holding is one such celebrity who has been extremely vocal about the Black Lives Matter movement.

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Michael Holding slams Pakistan and Australia for not supporting Black Lives Matter movement

Holding has criticised the decision to not take a knee during England's series against Pakistan and Australia and support the Black Lives Matter movement. The Black Lives Matter movement erupted in the wake of the killing of American citizen George Floyd at the hands of police personnel in Minnesota in May.

While speaking to Sky Sports, Michael Holding expressed his disappointment at England's failure to continue the practice for their series against both Pakistan and Australia. Holding also accused the England and Wales Cricket Board and Australia captain Aaron Finch of serving up a "lame" excuse. Michael Holding said just because the West Indies team has gone home that doesn't mean that players shouldn't respect the message and exactly what it stands for.

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Holding further said he agrees that racism is more acute in the United States than in most other places but people around the world took on the mantle of spreading the word and getting this message out and it's time for equality and time for equal justice. He reckoned that it was no longer just a "black versus white thing". Michael Holding stated that he didn’t understand why Pakistan and England didn’t take the knee. He added: "You are not doing anything other than going down on one knee, you are not chanting anything, you are not saying anything, all you are doing is making a signal to keep the awareness going."

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Prior to the series, Australia skipper Aaron Finch had said that his team would not take the knee because education is more important than the protest. Holding disagreed with Aaron Finch, saying that raising awareness and education are both important tools in the fight for equality. In response to Finch’s statement, Holding said that he doesn’t know any sport where anyone is barred from playing because of anything at all.

The West Indies icon went on to call Finch's statement 'pretty lame'. Holding stated that he is not here to try to force people to do something they do not want to do. He added if people think they do not need to sympathise with and recognise the movement, they should just say so instead of coming up with "lame" excuses.

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IMAGE COURTESY: AP