Black Lives Matter: England players to have logo on shirts v West Indies
- Published
Premier League players have a Black Lives Matter logo on their shirts
England will join West Indies in having a Black Lives Matter logo on their shirts for this month's Tests.
CEO Tom Harrison said the England and Wales Cricket Board "fully support the message that Black Lives Matter" and "there can be no place for racism in society or our sport".
He added: "Our support of that message is not an endorsement, tacit or otherwise, of any political organisation, nor the backing of any group that calls for violence or condones illegal activity."
It is understood the England squad will not take a knee before the first Test at the Ageas Bowl next week.
Speaking on behalf of the England players, captain Joe Root said: "It is important to show solidarity to the black community and to raise much-needed awareness around the topics of equality and justice.
"The England players and management are unified in this approach and will use the platform of international cricket to fully support the objective of eradicating racial prejudice wherever it exists."
The ECB has taken a similar tone to the Premier League in distancing itself from suggestions it is endorsing a political movement.
The Black Lives Matter movement has led to global protests against racism and police brutality following the death in the United States of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, while a police officer knelt on his neck.
The Premier League has shown its solidarity, with players' names replaced on the back of their shirts with 'Black Lives Matter' for the first 12 matches of the restarted season, and a Black Lives Matter badge will feature on all shirts for the rest of the campaign.
But while 'Black Lives Matter' has become the slogan behind the protests, Black Lives Matter also exists as a global organisation, founded in 2013, with several goals including to advocate against white supremacy and police violence towards black people.
A series of tweets from the Black Lives Matter UK account about Palestine at the weekend prompted criticism.