Burnley identify fans behind 'white lives matter' banner and vow to issue lifetime bans
Burnley chief executive Neil Hart tells Sky News he believes the far right is infiltrating some football clubs.
Wednesday 24 June 2020 08:15, UK
Burnley believe they have identified the fans responsible for a "white lives matter" banner flown over their match with Manchester City and they will receive lifetime bans from the club, their chief executive has said.
Neil Hart told Sky News he was "disgusted and ashamed" by the actions of supporters who paid for the message to be flown over the Etihad stadium on Monday evening.
He also voiced fears that the far right is infiltrating some football clubs.
A plane carrying the message "white lives matter Burnley" travelled over Manchester City's stadium two minutes into the match, during which players wore "Black Lives Matter" emblazoned on their shirts.
Police investigated the incident but concluded no crime was committed.
Before the match, all players had taken the knee in unison - an act which originated in American football as a call for equality.
On the "white lives matter Burnley" banner, Mr Hart said: "I was disgusted and ashamed to see that being trailed.
"It's not what we stand for as a football club or as a town, and we'll continue to fight any form of discrimination in this club but also in the community.
"Let's be very clear, Black Lives Matter is a cause players feel passionately about.
"It's there to highlight inequalities. Of course all lives matter, but that's common sense and this is about equality.
"Some individuals don't understand that or are choosing not to understand. (Monday) night is a prime example of that and it is raising racial hate."
Hart believes the far right is infiltrating some football clubs, saying: "There is some infiltration and we're working with police to eradicate that, and we will continue to fight it.
"This is a setback but it raises the issue that it is still [there] and that we keep needing to do the work to fight it."
Burnley is a multicultural town in the North West of England, made up mainly of white and Asian communities.
It was the scene of race riots in 2001 and BNP councillors have been elected in the past.
Hart said: "It's fair to say there are issues in the town.
"There are wards where BNP councillors were elected but this is something we are fighting face on with our stakeholders, and the football club wants to be at the forefront of eradicating that."
But it is not just Burnley's problem.
Following Black Lives Matter protests in London earlier this month, a group of counter-demonstrators marched through the capital including football fans, some of whom weaponised the "all lives matter" phrase.
The biggest figures in the game, including Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, recognise that football and society has a growing problem with racism.
Klopp said: "We have to educate our kids earlier. This generation, there are obviously people who don't want to understand.
"We saw that not only last night with the banner, but last night was a sign for everybody that obviously we need more time to convince everybody."