Boris Johnson will meet tech company bosses at No. 10 Downing Street to discuss clamping down on hate speech as the U.K. government finds itself drawn deeper into a row over racist abuse suffered by the England football team.

Three England players who missed penalties in Sunday’s Euro 2020 final have been on the receiving end of racist comments on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram since the match, prompting a show of support from their teammates.

Tyrone Mings, a member of the England squad who was instrumental in instituting the practice of taking the knee in protest against racism before games, launched an extraordinary intervention on Monday to accuse the government of playing a role in the abuse.

Responding to a tweet by Home Secretary Priti Patel, Mings wrote: “You don’t get to stoke the fire at the beginning of the tournament by labelling our anti-racism message as ‘Gesture Politics’ & then pretend to be disgusted when the very thing we’re campaigning against, happens.”

Patel had previously referred to taking the knee as “gesture politics” and described the impact of Black Lives Matter protests in the U.K. as “devastating.” Asked whether it was acceptable for the crowd to boo players taking the knee, she said it was “up to them frankly.”

The main opposition Labour Party also criticized ministers, with deputy leader Angela Rayner writing: “Priti Patel and Boris Johnson gave license to the racists who have abused our England players by taking their side against the England players when they were being booed. When you blow the dog whistle, then you’re to blame for the dogs barking.”

The prime minister’s spokesman responded, telling journalists: “The prime minister called for the nation to get behind and support the players, to cheer and not boo, before England had played a game in the tournament.”

“The home secretary is working every day to cut down on hate crime, racism and violence. There’s no place for racism in this country and she’s backing the police to hold those responsible to account.”

He added that Johnson had opened Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting by condemning the offensive posts directed at some of the England team.

“He said the abuse was utterly disgraceful and had emerged from the dark spaces of the internet and that he would use today’s meeting with social media firms to reiterate the urgent need for action, ahead of tougher laws coming into force through the Online Harms Bill,” the spokesman said.

Under the plans in the bill, a duty of care towards users would be imposed on social media platforms, enforced by communications regulator Ofcom. However, critics complain that the proposals do not address anonymous abuse and would not capture many of the types of racist statements or images aimed at footballers.

No 10 refused to confirm reports that Johnson was preparing to welcome Gareth Southgate’s England team to Downing Street. The prime minister’s spokesman said: “We’ll be talking to the FA [Football Association] to identify a suitable way to thank the players and coaching staff for their efforts.”