Hertha Berlin take a knee ahead of their Bundesliga match against Schalke to ‘promote tolerance and responsibility’

The Bundesliga side took a knee in similar fashion to a number of NFL players

The Bundesliga side took a knee shortly ahead of kick-off (EPA)

German football team Hertha Berlin have shown solidarity with sports stars in the United States by ‘taking a knee’ ahead of their Bundesliga match against Schalke on Saturday.

Just before kick-off, the starting XI lined up and linked arms, before taking a knee in similar fashion to a number of NFL stars in recent weeks.

The club’s coaching staff and substitutes also took a knee along the touchline, to the cheers of the crowd.

On Twitter, the club posted a short statement explaining why their players had made the gesture.

“Hertha BSC stands for tolerance and responsibility!” they wrote. “For a tolerant Berlin and an open-minded world, now and forevermore! #TakeAKnee #hahohe”

A number of NFL players have taken a knee ahead of American football matches recently, using a highly visible platform to protest police brutality

Teams in other American sports have repeated the gesture, but it has proven controversial with the US President Donald Trump recently denouncing those who do not stand for the anthem.

He recently said that NFL owners should “get that son of a bitch off the field” when “somebody disrespects our flag”.

And in the days since he has continued to call for protesting players to lose their jobs and backed a boycott of the NFL.