Zaha stood tall while others around him knelt before the kick-off as Palace took on West Brom in the Premier League on Saturday, making the 28-year-old Ivory Coast star the first footballer in England’s top flight to shun the move.
The former Manchester United star initially explained his decision back in February, saying: “I feel like taking a knee is degrading.
“Growing up, my parents just let me know that I should just be proud to be black, no matter what, and I just think we should stand tall.
“I think the meaning behind the whole thing is becoming something that we just do now. That’s not enough. I’m not going to take the knee.”
Players in England adopted the gesture on the resumption of football last June, amid the swell of the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in America.
Black Lives Matter signs can still be found at Premier League stadiums, although the league itself has since replaced logos bearing the BLM name with a ‘No Room for Racism’ message on players’ shirts instead.
On Saturday at Selhurst Park, Zaha stood with his hands behind his back and facing forwards while others on the pitch – including officials – dropped to one knee.