ARNAUT Danjuma explained his “personal decision” regarding taking the knee before kick-off – despite Cherries saying they would be stopping the gesture.

In a statement released by captain Steve Cook earlier this month regarding taking the knee, he said: “Fighting all forms of discrimination and creating an equal, inclusive society is something that we feel very passionately about.

“But that is defined by much more than a gesture, which we feel has run its course and is no longer having the effect it first did eight months ago.”

Danjuma however continued to take the knee ahead of Cherries’ 1-0 victory over Watford on Saturday.

And the Netherlands international insisted he had spoken with Cook and his team-mates about his decision.

He said: “We had a discussion with the team in the changing room about not taking the knee, so I didn’t do it on my own.

“I told the team that I was going to do it because I still feel that it’s a good thing to do.

“Obviously a lot of people are watching and I feel like this is the only time that there’s really been race awareness for what’s going on with black people in and all over the world.

“I do a lot of research on my history and on the history of black people in general. It’s not right what has been happening.

“It’s just a personal thing. I will always stand up for black people and I’ll always stand up for people in general.

“It’s not that it’s because it’s for black people that I’m doing it. If it was for white people, yellow, purple, I don’t care what the colour is – as long as you can make a stand and help someone else out, I will always do it.

“So I let the team know. Steve Cook as the captain said it’s a personal decision, as anyone can take the knee if they want to.

“We are all on good terms with it – it’s just a personal decision.”