England cricket team to wear Black Lives Matter logo

SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) — England will join the West Indies in wearing a Black Lives Matter logo on their shirts during the three-test cricket series starting next week.

England announced its decision on Thursday, three days after the West Indies made its call to support racial equality and justice.

On their collars, the players will wear the logo of a black fist with the words “Black Lives Matter,” designed by Alisha Hosannah, the partner of Troy Deeney, the Watford soccer team captain.

“It is important to show solidarity to the Black community and to raise much needed awareness around the topics of equality and justice,” England captain Joe Root said in a statement. “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 majority of us do not understand what individuals from BAME (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic) background have to go through when people make judgments because of the color of their skin. As a group, we are learning about this and educating ourselves.”

The first test starts on Wednesday in Southampton.