Supporters rally against England team racist abuse Mon, July 12, 2021

Racist abuse aimed at Black players from England's national soccer team after their
narrow defeat in the final of Euro 2020 is drawing widespread condemnation.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Twitter on Monday (July 12). "This
England team deserve to be lauded as heroes, not racially abused on social media."

Police said they would also investigate the comments made towards Black players
Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka, who missed spot-kicks in a
penalty shootout with Italy following a 1-1 draw on Sunday (July 11).

Team manager Gareth Southgate also condemned the abuse. "They should be, and I
think they are incredibly proud of what they've done. For some of them to be abused is
unforgivable, really."

Prince William, who is president of the English Football Association, also joined the
chorus of condemnation saying on Twitter that he was "sickened by the racist abuse
aimed at England players after last night’s match."

The England team has been highlighting the issue of racism throughout the
tournament, taking the knee before all their matches.

However, some fans have booed the gesture, with critics - including British Home
Secretary Priti Patel - viewing it as an unwanted politicization of sport. While the
social media feeds of the players also showed huge levels of support and gratitude
from fans, the abuse overshadowed the positive messages.

London Police said they were aware of the offensive and racist comments, and would
take action. The England team said it was "disgusted" by the abuse aimed at players
who have "given everything for the shirt this summer". And the English Football
Association said fans who exhibited such "disgusting behavior" were not welcome.

England's Black players face racial abuse after Euro 2020 defeat
 Black players who missed final penalty kicks abused online
 Police investigation launched

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Supporters rally against England team racist abuse Mon, July 12, 2021

 Ministers condemn abuse, face accusations of hypocrisy

 Interior minister accused of 'stoking fire

Black players in the England soccer team have been subjected to a storm of online racist
abuse after their defeat in the final of Euro 2020, drawing wide condemnation from the
squad's captain, manager, royalty, religious leaders and politicians.

Marcus Rashford, 23, Jadon Sancho, 21, and Bukayo Saka, 19, were the targets of the
abuse after they missed spot-kicks in a penalty shootout with Italy which settled Sunday's
final after the game finished as a 1-1 draw.

The comments have prompted a police investigation and wide condemnation, although
critics accused some ministers of hypocrisy for refusing to support a high-profile anti-
racist stance the players had made during the tournament.

The Times newspaper reported that British ministers will tell social media companies to
immediately hand over details of those who made online racially abusive comments
towards the players.

"Three lads who were brilliant all summer had the courage to step up & take a pen when
the stakes were high," England captain Harry Kane wrote on Twitter.

"They deserve support & backing not the vile racist abuse they’ve had since last night. If
you abuse anyone on social media you’re not an @England fan and we don’t want you."

England manager Gareth Southgate called the abuse "unforgivable". "I know a lot of that
has come from abroad, that people who track those things have been able to explain that,
but not all of it," he told a news conference.

Rashford himself wrote in a social media post late on Monday that he was thankful to his
team mates for the support they extended to him and that he was overwhelmed by the
messages of support towards him.

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Supporters rally against England team racist abuse Mon, July 12, 2021

"I can take critique of my performance all day long... but I will never apologise for who I
am and where I came from," Rashford said in his statement.

The England team have earned praise for their stand against racism, while a number of
players have also campaigned on other social causes. The multi-racial make-up of the
squad had been hailed as reflecting a more diverse modern Britain.

The team had highlighted the issue of racism by taking the knee before all their matches -
a protest made by American football quarterback Colin Kaepernick and followed by the
Black Lives Matter movement last year - saying it was a simple show of solidarity against
racial discrimination.

However, some fans have booed the gesture, with critics viewing it as a politicization of
sport and expression of sympathy with far-left politics.

Some ministers have been accused of hypocrisy for refusing to criticise those who booed
and using it as part of a wider "culture war", often portrayed as a rift between those
wanting to protect Britain's heritage from a "woke" youth, who see their elders as
blocking moves to end racial and social injustice.

"This England team deserve to be lauded as heroes, not racially abused on social media,"
Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote on Twitter. "Those responsible for this appalling
abuse should be ashamed of themselves."

While Johnson himself said the team should not be booed, his own spokesman had
initially declined to criticise the fans over the issue when asked last month.

'STOKE THE FIRE'

Interior minister Priti Patel had also said she did not support players taking the knee
because it was "gesture politics" and that it was a choice for the fans whether to boo
players. On Monday, she joined those who denounced the abuse, but was criticised by
England defender Tyrone Mings.

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Supporters rally against England team racist abuse Mon, July 12, 2021

"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," he posted on Twitter.

The opposition Labour Party said Johnson and Patel were guilty of hypocrisy. "The prime
minister failed to call out the booing so whatever he says today rings hollow," said
Labour leader Keir Starmer.

While the social media feeds of the players also showed huge levels of support, the abuse
overshadowed the positive messages.

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, said those who abused the players must be
held accountable and Britain's Prince William, who is president of the Football
Association, said he was sickened.

"I am sickened by the racist abuse aimed at England players after last night’s match,"
William, Queen Elizabeth's grandson who is president of the English Football
Association, said on Twitter. "It is totally unacceptable that players have to endure this
abhorrent behaviour. It must stop now and all those involved should be held accountable."

Seven times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton voiced his support for the
players. "The pressure to deliver is felt by every sportsperson but when you are a minority
representing your country this is a layered experience," Hamilton said. "Success would
feel like a double victory, but a miss feels like a two-fold failure when it's compounded
with racist abuse.” "We must work towards a society that doesn't require Black players to
prove their value or place in society only through victory. Ultimately everyone on the
England team should be so proud of their achievement and how they represented us."

The Football Association said fans who exhibited such "disgusting behaviour" were not
welcome and European soccer governing body UEFA echoed its call for the strongest
possible punishments.

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Supporters rally against England team racist abuse Mon, July 12, 2021

London Police said officers were aware of the offensive and racist comments, and would
take action. A mural of Rashford, who had campaigned for poor children to be given
more support during the pandemic, was also covered in abuse.

A lawmaker in Prime Minister Johnson's Conservative Party also apologised after a

private message in which she suggested Rashford should have spent more time perfecting
his game than "playing politics" became public.

The issue of online abuse of players led to British soccer authorities briefly boycotting
social media platforms before the tournament, while Britain is planning legislation to
force tech firms to do more.

A Twitter Inc spokesperson said they had removed more than 1,000 tweets and
permanently suspended a number of accounts, while Facebook Inc said it too had quickly
removed abusive comments.

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