Burnley Fc: Fan Flies 'White Lives Matter' Over Etihad Stadium.
As many football (soccer for my US readers) will know, the English, Premiership football league, has emerged from lockdown. No doubt, thousands of football fans up and down the country will be glad. They can see their favourite teams, again, in action.
However, things are different, for a start, no fans, are allowed, to attend matches. Players are finding themselves having to play to empty stadiums, with artificial banners in the stands and recorded fan sounds, to make the match, more realistic, one assumes.
There was controversy, some time ago, during the lockdown, when it was announced, non-football player staff would have to take a drop in their salaries. Right away, many demanded that footballers too should take a drop, in their astronomical salaries. Gary Lineker, ex-England player and 'Match of The Day', pundit and 'Walkers' crisps aficionado, came on television, to defend the player's earnings. Highlighting, what players do for charity and other good works, etc. Obviously, many players do good works, like Liverpool's Mane', who donates much of his earnings, to help people, in his village, in Africa. Or, Manchester Utd and England wunderkind, Marcus Rashford, who through his campaign, got the government, to think again, about ending the vouchers, to ensure, kids, don't go hungry. In the end, Bo-Jo and his clowns caved in, and now school vouchers will continue, to feed, kids. The controversy remains though, should, players, be paid astronomical amounts of money, just for kicking a bag of wind around?
Fans will have noticed that the English F A, is supporting the 'Black Lives Matter' campaign. There are many black and mixed-race, players, in the Premiership, who have been showing their support. Before a game starts, they have been taking a knee and doing the BLM salute. Even, non-black players, have been doing this to show their solidarity with their black colleagues. One questions though, the real reason for the FA supporting such a movement,?
For example, the FA are not allowed to back any political stance. Yet, here they are supporting, the 'BLM' campaign! A while ago, England players were not allowed to wear poppies, honouring those for who fought and died, for this country. Some have seen red over this, saying the FA are hypocritical, backing BLM, and yet, they cannot back poppy wearing, as it mind offend, someone! For as many people that back BLM, there are those, who see, BLM, as being racist. The old argument goes, if it were white players wearing 'White Lives Matters', there would be cries of racism!
However, one fan, who has links, to anti-Islamic campaigner, Tommy Robinson, decided to do just that. Jake Hepple, from Colne, in Lancashire, arranged for a plane, complete with 'White Lives Matter' banner, to fly over the Etihad stadium.
Ben Mee, Burnley captain, said at the sight of this, he and his fellow players, were shocked. Burnley football club has disassociated itself from Hepple's stunt. The club, have said, Hepple's stunt, in no way reflects the attitude of the club, to 'Black Lives Matter'.
Hepple himself has refused to apologise, saying on social media, he would like to take the time to apologise........to "f***ing no one". Mr Hepple highlighted, what he sees, as double standards. Referencing 3 white men, who were stabbed to death, in a park in Reading, attacked by a Libyan national.
Mr Hepple has since had his Facebook account, deactivated.
