The Yankees and Nationals knelt in unison before the first game of the season just days after Donald Trump said the game was ‘over’ for him when players took a knee.

Players from both clubs knelt during the opening day ceremony tonight, which featured several references to the ongoing civil rights movement that was triggered by the Memorial Day ‘murder’ of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Every player and coach on the Yankees and Nationals takes a knee before the national anthem

(via @MarkZuckerman)pic.twitter.com/BReFKXrxOE

— Bleacher Report MLB (@BR_MLB) July 23, 2020

Players from both teams kneel together in unity before tonight’s National Anthem. #OpeningDay #NYYforNY pic.twitter.com/ptW2FgfzUe

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 23, 2020

The symbol of protest has divided opinion of late, with the president tweeting Tuesday that kneeling during the national anthem is a ‘sign of great disrespect’ and the game is ‘over’ for him when players do it.

‘Looking forward to live sports, but any time I witness a player kneeling during the National Anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our Country and our Flag, the game is over for me!’ Trump tweeted.

The players took the challenge on behalf of their cause.

The New York Yankees kneel before game against the Nationals begins.

The Washington Nationals kneel in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.

The 2020 Major League Baseball season finally opened in Washington on Thursday night, after being put on hold when states went into lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Players from the Yankees and Nationals wore T-shirts saying Black Lives Matter during batting practice, and the letters ‘BLM’ were stenciled into the back of the mound at the center of the diamond.

In a poignant reference to the racial reckoning happening in the US, players and other members of both teams held a long black ribbon while standing spaced out along the two foul lines.

After they placed the ribbon on the ground, all the players then got on their knees.

Billboard placed outside Fenway Park in Boston

Trump has not publicly commented on the players taking a knee – although the players did then all rise for a taped performance of the national anthem.

Over at the White House, the president also marked the opening day by tossing baseballs with Hall of Fame pitcher Mariano Rivera.

Trump marked baseball’s opening day by playing catch with sports legend Mariano Rivera in the grounds of the White House.

The retired New York Yankees relief pitcher made a surprise appearance at Trump’s late afternoon coronavirus briefing, when the president introduced him saying the two of them would be heading outside to see ‘some beautiful young Little Leaguers outside with a great future ahead of them’.

‘They’re already practicing on the front lawn of the White House,’ Trump said.

Rivera and Trump then joined a group of about 15 young players who were playing catch on the South Lawn.

Trump and the former player joined in with the sport, while Trump heaped praise on his playing buddy.

‘There was nobody like Mariano,’ Trump said.