See Why This 'Courageous' Blackface Photo of a German Soccer Team Is Making Waves Across the Internet

In an unusual turn of events, one German soccer team's photo depicting the entire team in blackface has been drawing an overwhelming amount of praise since it was posted to the team's Facebook page Wednesday.

The photo, which was digitally altered to make the predominantly white members of the amateur Deinster SV team appear with blackened faces, was posted to the Deinster SV Facebook page along with the hashtags #UnitedWeStand and #DevidedWeFall [sic]. The team shared the photo, which has been liked more than 16,000 times and shared more than 2,000 times, as a response to attacks that were apparently geared toward one of its two of its black team members.

Emad Babiker, a Sudanese refugee who has played with Deinster SV for two seasons, allegedly was verbally harassed and physically assaulted over the past weekend, according to NBC News. The team's Facebook post notes that Babiker was assaulted for "racist reasons," which it called "just so sad."

"Violence against refugees is pathetic," the post says when translated into English, NBC News noted. "You belong to us just like anyone else from the Deinster sports club, and we are happy that you are with us!!!"

Although some have made derogatory or critical comments regarding the team's picture, Deinster SV stood by its show of solidarity with its two black players.

"This has nothing to do with racism, we just wanted to show solidarity," Deinster SV spokesman Frank Sandmann told NBC News.

One person commented on the post, "Good intention, but Blackface sucks. Always."

But in large part, commenters on Facebook have been praising the team for its photo and its support for Babiker.

"Thank you for this courageous and creative action!" one person wrote.

"Great response to xenophobic attacks against your fellow players," another wrote. "Keep it up, keep together and showing courage."

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Follow Kathryn Blackhurst (@kablackhurst) on Twitter