Scottish Rivals Celtic, Rangers Stand in Solidarity in Response to Racist Incident

Old Firm rivals Rangers and Celtic opted against taking a knee in Sunday's derby after Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara's claims of racial abuse.

Scottish Premiership giants Celtic and Rangers refused to kneel in a pre-game demonstration against racism in response to alleged racist abuse directed toward Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara. 

In Rangers's Europa League loss on Thursday, Kamara said Slavia Prague defender Ondřej Kúdela covered his mouth with his hand and racially abused Kamara, leading to an extended altercation on the pitch and later in the tunnel after the match. Slavia Prague also denounced a banner made by a group of the Czech club's ultras that racially abused Kamara. 

Following the lead of Dundee United and Motherwell, who stood in solidarity with Kamara in their respective Scottish Premiership matches on Saturday, fierce rivals Celtic and Rangers stood before their 1–1 Old Firm derby draw on Sunday where Kamara started for the newly crowned Scottish champions. 

We stand today with Glen Kamara, and others who suffer at the hands of racism.

Today’s decision to stand rather than take the knee is a show of solidarity by our players to enhance the message that racism in any form is unacceptable and has no place anywhere in society. pic.twitter.com/kKdR6S8BHd

— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) March 20, 2021

"We won't take the knee," Rangers manager Steven Gerrard told Sky Sports before the match. "I spoke to both my captains yesterday and they've made a collective decision that they're going to stand and they're going to stand together side by side and we'll support that and follow suit as a staff as well.

"I wasn't aware of the chat that the players have had among themselves but James [Tavernier] and Connor [Goldson] have come to see me yesterday and I totally understand the decision that they've made and I totally back it 100% and we'll do the same as a staff to show them support."

English clubs Brentford, Bournemouth, Derby and Millwall have all committed to standing during the pre-match custom while last week Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha became the first Premier League player to decline to kneel, saying that it had become a routine that had lost its meaning as racist incidents continue.