Arsenal squad takes a knee before friendly at the Emirates for Black Lives Matter campaign

Arsenal players led my manager Mikel Arteta donned 'I Can't Breathe' and 'Black Lives Matter' shirts during their warm-up ahead of the friendly match against Championship side Brentford this week. Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal squad also took a knee before the match to honour George Floyd, an African-American, who was ruthlessly killed by a police officer in Minneapolis on May 25. 

Floyd's death sparked a movement against racial injustice and police brutality in the US. The Black Lives Matter movement then spread across Europe and several footballers have so far voiced their support for the same. Arsenal players were pictured warming up in shirts that read 'Black Lives Matter', 'I Can't Breathe' and 'Colour is not a crime', among other messages. Mikel Arteta was seen wearing a shirt that read 'We Stand In Solidarity.' 

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Mikel Arteta, Arsenal players take a knee before friendly against Brentford

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Premier League restart: Mikel Arteta's men suffer shock defeat to Brentford in friendly

However, the Gunners were dealt a blow ahead of the Premier League restart as they lost 3-2 to Brentford despite fielding a strong side. The closed-door friendly at the Emirates saw Joe Willock give the lead to Mikel Arteta's men before Brentford equalised in the second half. Alexandre Lacazette's second-half goal saw the Premier League side restore their lead. However, Arsenal crumbled late in the game to suffer a defeat.

On Saturday, Arsenal romped past Charlton Athletic in their first friendly of ahead of the Premier League restart. Eddie Nketiah scored a hat-trick while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Joe Willock also found the net as Arsenal beat Charlton 6-0. Arsenal will play Manchester City on Thursday, June 18 when the Premier League returns to action. 

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George Floyd death: Football stars join Black Lives Matter movement

Last week, athletes and celebrities from across the globe joined the Blackout Tuesday movement to show their solidarity against racial injustice. Similarly, several players in Bundesliga showed their support for the ongoing protests in the US by wearing 'Justice for George Floyd' armbands and under-shirts. Borussia Dortmund duo Jadon Sancho and Achraf Hakimi, Schalke star Weston McKennie, and Monchengladbach attacker Marcus Thuram voiced their support for the protests against Floyd's death. 

According to reports in the UK, captains of the Premier League clubs have informed the league that they intend to demonstrate their support for the ongoing anti-racism campaign by taking a knee prior to the Premier League matches. The issue was reportedly raised on Tuesday during a conference call between the 20 club captains and officials of the league. The Premier League restart is scheduled for June 17. 

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