Piers Morgan horrified by ‘racist filth’ he’s received on Twitter as Susanna Reid admits she has quit social media
PIERS Morgan was left horrified when he was sent vile "racist filth" on Twitter today after he slammed Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Good Morning Britain.
The 55-year-old presenter admitted the messages he was receiving were "scary" considering he is a white man, questioning what black people must be suffering.
His co-host Susanna Reid also admitted that she has quit social media due to the onslaught of racism that is being shared on platforms in recent weeks.
Today's b backlash started when Piers and Susanna criticised Raab for claiming that Black Lives Matter kneeling had been taken from fantasy series Game of Thrones during an interview last week.
After Premier League players took the knee as football returned to TV, the Foreign Secretary said it was a symbol of "subjugation".
Piers and Susanna were stunned by the "out of touch" comments, with the gesture of taking the knee being used as a poignant symbol of the anti-racism movement after football players in the US knelt down for the national anthem in protest against police brutality and racism in 2016.
Just 10 minutes after his and Susanna's discussion, Piers shared his disgust as he revealed he'd been "bombarded with racist abuse" on Twitter for the comments.
Reading one of less abusive tweets, the star quoted: "Piers, what don't you understand, Raab not taking a knee is his choice - it doesn't make him a racist".
Hitting back, the GMB host clarified: "Nobody said it did, what is wrong with you people?
"Nobody said it made him a racist, nobody said he had to do it - we just said it didn't come from Game of Thrones.
"And when the Foreign Secretary says that, he reveals himself to be an idiot, which is not surprising considering some of the people defending him - what is wrong with you? What can't you see?"
Piers continued: ";The level of racism spewing around social media right now is terrifying.
"My Twitter feed right now is just filth; racist filth from people who are just racists, and this is the problem. This is the real problem, it's not about statues, or Fawlty Towers, it's about unearthing this kind of thinking in this country and dealing with it head on.
"I'm getting this as a white man, what are black people getting? I know what Ian Wright is getting, I've seen it.
"What are black people in this country getting if I, as a white person, am getting this filth? It's got to stop. We have to somehow stop this as a country, as a society.
"I've got to say on this taking the knee thing, I don't know, maybe it's got a broader history but it seems to be taken from Game of Thrones, feels to me like a symbol of subjugation and subordination."
The Foreign Secretary said it was not a gesture of "liberation and emancipation, but I understand people feel differently about it so it's a matter of personal choice."
When pressed on whether he would take the knee himself, he quipped: "I take the knee for two people, the Queen and the Mrs when I asked her to marry me."
Raab has since had to clarify his remarks: "To be clear: I have full respect for the Black Lives Matter movement and the issues driving them."
The previous night, at two Premier League matches, players from Aston Villa, Sheffield United, Man City and Arsenal all took the knee in a powerful moment before the first games since lockdown kicked off to show their support for the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement.
What does 'Take The Knee' mean, and how did it start?
Taking the knee began as a protest against the unfair treatment of black Americans.
It started during the American football pre-season in 2016 when the San Francisco 49ers’ black quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat instead of standing during the national anthem.
By the fourth game, the gesture, which he said was intended to raise awareness of police brutality towards African Americans, had become a national talking point.
That was when Kaepernick, seeking a dignified way to protest without offending military personnel, tried something else - he knelt.
The poignant stance has been adopted by the Black Lives Matter movement.
On June 2, 2020 over 60 cops knelt before George Floyd protesters as a mark of "dignity and respect" in North Carolina.
Stunned witnesses say the moment in Fayetteville brought protesters and officers to tears.
Floyd died on May 25, 2020, in police custody after getting arrested for apparently trying to use a fake $20 bill to buy cigarettes.
Footballers in England have also followed suit with Liverpool players posting a picture of themselves kneeling in respect during training at Anfield, and players taking the knee before games following the Premier League's restart.
Before that, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner both took the knee in support.
One policeman outside Downing Street was also seen taking the knee as protesters gathered outside, demanding an end to racism in the UK and justice for the killing of George Floyd.
Mr Floyd was killed in the US after a white police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest - triggering anti-racism protests across the world.