Friday, March 29, 2024

Arsenal condemn racist abuse of England players

Arsenal have condemned the racist abuse directed at England’s black players on social media following the Three Lions’ penalty shootout defeat to Italy in the final of Euro 2020.

Having missed their penalties, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and our very own Bukayo Saka were all targeted after the final whistle by low lives taking to their computers and phones to spread hate.

Having launched a campaign in March calling on social media companies to do more to stamp out online abuse, Arsenal have doubled down on their calls for action while also taking a moment to pay tribute to Saka’s incredible efforts in the last few weeks.

Here’s the club’s statement:

Last night, we saw Bukayo Saka reach the Euro 2020 final at the age of 19 years old.

Bukayo has been with us since he was seven and the whole club couldn’t have been prouder to see him represent England throughout the tournament. You could feel it right across the club.

Last night we witnessed the leadership and character we’ve always known and loved in Bukayo. However, this feeling of pride quickly turned to sorrow at the racist comments our young player was subjected to on his social media platforms after the final whistle.

Once again, we are sad to have to say we condemn the racism of a number black players. This cannot continue and the social media platforms and authorities must act to ensure this disgusting abuse to which our players are subjected on a daily basis stops now.

We have processes in place internally at Arsenal to ensure our players are supported both emotionally and practically on this issue but sadly there is only so much we can do.

Our message to Bukayo is: hold your head high, we are so very proud of you and we cannot wait to welcome you back home to Arsenal soon.

__

We’re not sure that we really need to add anything to that.

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Jeremy DG

I know this is a love and peace kind of website and I’d love to live in a world where everyone just got along, but I’d also like to castrate and deport some of these low lives to a distant island where they’d live out their days with no internet to spread their bile and where hopefully at some point the Hunter gatherer side of their human nature kicked in and they started eating each other. I’d also make sure it was an island full of dangerous animals and the idiots would have to walk around covered in raw meat.

Boydy

That’s a more polite version of what I felt was required…

Runcorn Gooner

I would love to think that none of the low life who cheer them when we are winning and then racial abuse them in defeat are people who follow Arsenal. Regrettably there will be and to those I say. It’s got to stop. It does no good except in some warped way to yourself.
Abusing a fellow human being while hiding behind a keyboard is the lowest form of life.

Runcorn Gooner

Unfortunately with down votes on comments urging it to stop there are obviously People who regrettably follow AFC

Hakuna Matata

They r trolls. It would do u a world of good 2 ignore them.

Sachin

There’s no ignoring some things…

Heavenly Chapecoense

If I get five minutes with a couple of these guys, people will nickname me Saddam Hussein afterwards.

Viv The 🐐

I understand your anger, but making decisions over that, who to go and who not to, comes from the same seed as where these ideologies come from.

PB70

No, it doesn’t. In fact – that’s an insane comparison.

I’ve noticed those who sit on their hands with a do nothing attitude towards bigotry and racism, use this sort reasoning to do fuck all about it.

Having consequences for racist act/words is the same as not tolerating it and making decisions to put a stop to it? What?!?

Based your reasoning, there should be no laws/consequences for anything.

ChickPEA

Do you already have the link for the crowdfunding? I’d love to contribute.

Nainsley Aitland Miles

You’ve just described Ibiza.

JeremyDG

Hahaha so true

Daveo

England already tried that once or twice… Sending convicts to Australia and other places. Didn’t have the desired effect then on either place. Just lead to more racism, hatred and even genocide of Australian first nations. I get its not meant to be a serious idea, but it has real world and historical implications.

Too many populist politicians have been empowering these people to be racist in the name of freedom of speech and social media abdicates their responsibility in peddling their message and not working enough with authorities to come down on these users.

Qwaliteee

The Anglophobia and selective indignation on this thread is staggering.

Racism – like slavery, poverty, greed and all the other negative aspects of the human animal – is a worldwide problem pal.

Quit blaming an entire single nation for what happened to those players the other night. That, in case it has slipped your feeble mind, is actually racist.

GeorgeHeartsKarate

Isn’t this what Brits did to Australia?

Badaab

Jeremy, these people have an island already.

JeremyDG

I suggest we get them another one. In the middle of the ocean. Or maybe just in the ocean. Wearing a lady gaga meat outfit. I’m open to suggestions really.

Goonshow

Well said Sir!

Tucker

It says a lot about the sorry state of this country that within about 5 seconds of being arguably the most disappointed I’ve been watching football, my thoughts were that Sancho, Rashford and Bukayo were in for a horrendous few weeks.

Utter scum

Graeb

Without even a thought that about senior white players who didn’t step forward.

Sachin

It’s not about the senior white players – it’s about assholes who think a 100 pounds entitles them to abuse someone.

Qwaliteee

Why is the colour of the other players skin relevant here rather than just their perceived reluctance to take a penalty…….?

GeorgeHeartsKarate

did you log your analysis concerning the location of all of the racist comments? Or just using a broad brush?

Tucker

Sorry, I don’t quite follow? If you’re suggesting that UK/English citizens aren’t the primary demographic responsible for the racial abuse of the three lads last night, I think you’re naive and it’s probably best to leave this conversation here.

Apologies if I’ve got the wrong end of the stick but I’m struggling to see what your argument is

Goonshow

Mate – it’s fair to assume it ain’t the Italians commenting!

Teta's cult of personality

You’d be surprised Goonshow. Gareth Southgate confirmed that the authorities told him those slurs were posted by English and foreign users alike.

Thierry Bergkamp (non negotiable)

This ladies and gentlemen, is why I was on here a few months ago, saying that Saka should choose Nigeria over England.
He would never be truly accepted, only when he’s doing well.

Merlin’s Panini

He’s accepted by everyone that actually matters.

.!.ziRascal

Unfortunately that’s not true. Racism is real. If it were only about hurtful comments by an insignificant minority it wouldn’t be an issue. I’m not meaning to have a go at you specifically but it’s this type of thinking that allows institutional racism to continue…

Sachin

Absolutely. Condemning the assholes isn’t enough. There needs to be a price exacted from them. Until we are able to demonstrate how vile it is and chase them out of their burrows things will never change.

You’re talking a load of crap, and I’m Nigerian. You’re using the behavior of tiny idiotic minority to judge an entire nation.

Pharquhar

He isn’t. He’s pointing out that Bukayo was subjected to a ton of racial abuse online by people who claim to be supporters of the national team he represents. How much racial abuse would he have been subjected to if he had been representing Nigeria?

Sachin

UK needs to be judged. UEFA will fine them but it’s not enough. Until the good people aren’t ashamed enough to step up the bad vocal minority will keep it up.

In India there’s a history of religious and casteist extremism – I’ve seen up close what happens when the silent good majority frown and mumble how sad it is. People need to hold their friends and family accountable for their behaviour.

Qwaliteee

Well said.

JeremyDG

I travelled into London last night and it was like the end of the world. Absolute chaos. It was like a breakdown of society and wilder beasts being released into the wild after 16 months of being caged up. I’ve never seen anything like it at a major sporting event. I am very sure this is not unique to the UK though. I remember living in Germany when they won the world cup and there were also problems.

PeteyB

I think the 16.months caged up is important. As much as the tournament has been great for showing the best parts of coming together and celebrating in a group. Things most of have missed we have welcomed back… The issue is there is a sizable group of folk who just love to cause havock, and fight. That’s what they have been missing for 16 months or more. It should be no surprise to anyone that these elements were on display. I’d suggest the authorities have some serious questions to answer given how utterly predictable these things are. I doubt England… Read more »

Goonshow

Bring enough humanity into one place and you will always see the best and worst of our species. That is unfortunately just how it is, and always has been.

Sachin

Nope. Expect better from people and the authorities. Work harder to prevent a young boy from being spat at.

Daveo

You don’t remember Vancouver after the Canuks lost the Stanley Cup Finals?

Teta's cult of personality

I don’t know if you’ve noticed but to me it’s becoming apparent that these “bouts of abuse” are most likely premeditated. I don’t think it happens in the spur of the moment. In fact, I believe the bigots just come out the woodwork more during high profile defeats because it’s the best time to cause chaos. Once on Twitter, I saw a Tweet that showed a bunch of slurs on Lacazette’s instagram page after we were knocked out by Villareal. I just did a simple reverse-image search that displayed results from far-right websites and anonymous forums. I clicked on one… Read more »

Sachin

Yes, part of it is the way the social media algorithms work. The role of AI and bots — but it is still picked on and shared by regular, ‘I didn’t mean to, just got carried away, not a racist’ people.

Beef

If these 4chan people are high-fiving one another over being noticed on Twitter then the enormous amount of coverage this has gotten is probably going to provide them with exactly the opposite incentive.

Teta's cult of personality

It wasn’t 4chan not that it matters anyway. It’s not as much the publicity as it is the lack of tangible consequences for that kind of behaviour. The likes or views don’t matter if the push-back is severe. Likes and views won’t keep a roof over your head if you lose your job over online behaviour or get kicked out of university. Nor will they protect you if people find out who you are, where you live and you have to deal with the authorities in your personal space. I’ve seen the latter happen right here in London before. It… Read more »

karl

I barely recognise this country from the tolerant nation is was a decade ago. Looking forward to Arsenal being on the agenda from today again though.

Hass

Shocking to even think this is what happens but what’s worse is during the penalty shootout you just know if a black player misses he’s gonna be abused. Hoping Saka can come back from this evening stronger. A 19 year old should not be the target of people’s anger for a penalty shootout loss

GraeB

Crowds return next season and you can expect lots of “Saka lost the Euros” or “You let your country down” just as Southgate, Beckham, Pearce et al were targeted with in the past. Saka seems a very down to earth person with good family support network so I hope he’ll handle this well.

Hakuna Matata

Sterling was the most vilified english player prior and during the tournament. He was the only scorer in the first few games. Here’s the kicker…. During the vilification, sterlings image was plastered all through english media. However, during the tournament when he was single-handedly doing the saving, english media chose kane’s image to plaster. Therein goobers lies structural racism. Black people are easy scapegoats 4 societal ills

Sachin

In other news… on the Dear Bukayo post, some fellow Arsenal fan had already started picking on Sterling for not taking the penalty…

I’d go as far as saying Mustafi, Fabianski and Xhaka wouldn’t have had so much hatred spewed at them if their last names were Keown, Seaman and Parlour – good honest English blokes whose ‘quirks’ you could forgive and laugh with.

Hank Scorpio

Cowards hiding behind their keyboards. I suspect most probably won’t declare their real identity either. Truly shit people. As for Saka, you can only admire his willingness to take the last penalty when more experienced players (some of who were white) were not.

Daveo

There are ways, but most social media platforms continue to protect users ip addresses, even when they go beyond reasonable use into racism and other forms of abuse. Policíans like farrange and trump are also massively to blame for stoking the fires of this mentality and normalising it.

GoonerJag

Dude, I despise Tramp and Farage as much as the next sane person but the neo-cons don’t have a monopoly on racial hatred on social media platforms. The way liberals have demonized Jews from their keyboards is just as nauseating and blameworthy. The argument surely is the lack of regulations that allows any fucking dick – no matter their color, creed or religion – to spread their vile opinions without being answerable for them under the law of the land?

Dave Roberts

Absolutely right on, Jag. Racial bias isn’t confined to a political party. If it didn’t exist throughout the public as a whole, political leaders wouldn’t be able to exploit it. For instance, on the North Bank from 1966 to 1974, any black player for an opposing team would be greeted with the chant “n*****”. Since I wasn’t the one who started this chant, I somehow doubt that it vanished when I quit attending games in 1975.

Gunnerbear

Scratch a ‘Liberal’ and you’ll soon find some who thinks free speech shouldn’t be for Others.

Drew

What the fuck does this even mean? Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from the consequences if that speech is nasty, hate-filled bile.

Gunnerbear

Where did I mention that there should be no consequences?

Hakuna Matata

Paradox

Sachin

So… what’s happening in your opinion is free speech.

The mites are coming out the Arseblog woodwork, guys!

Qwaliteee

They’re out already pal.This thread is full of them.

Daveo

I never said there aren’t racists that support other political associations, but those two in particular and their followers have been two of the most out spoken against BLM movement. And seeing this at this time, one cannot help but draw the link between populising anti black and anti BLM sentiment… For the umpteenth time in human history. Yes there are racists permeating every political group, but there is a large disproportion on the right and far right.

Drew

Let’s be honest, racism has never really “gone away” but until Farage et al started their jingoistic, racist rhetoric it was at least much less prevalent. Now these morons feel emboldened to spout whatever nasty shit they want. Johnson is another one, coming out and condemning the racism with a history of fucking racist comments. That twat just says whatever he thinks will get him more kudos at the time. I grew up in North London through the 80’s and 90’s and racism was very much an undertone now it is front and centre.

Johnno

Absolute nonsense. If you think we are a more racist society now than we were back in the 80`s then you are living in cloud cuckoo land.

Sachin

I guess we know live in times where we understand better how damaging it is… and yet it is everywhere

Gunnerbear

How is it racist to want UK borders enforce?

Sachin

It starts with the leaders. If Priti Patel can get away with, your nephew can, too.

JackofAll

Ummmm…..don’t think you can be a liberal and an ardent anti-Semite at the same time mate…:kind of one or the other 😉

GeorgeHeartsKarate

What does race have to do with taking the last penalty? Is Hank Scorpio your real name or have you declared your real identity?

The Beast

Sadly, it has to do with race because Saka & every other black player knows that they risk being racially abused if they don’t have a perfect match/miss a pen.

So yeah, they have to take that into consideration, in a way that white players don’t, when they step up to take a pen

Goonshow

Beast – thx for clarifying that for our desperately naive friend George.

Goonshow

Good point Hank – my only contention would be on the mere mention of whether some players were white or any other colour.

It’s never about colour… it’s about character. And our Bukayo has plenty of the that.

Hank Scorpio

The only reason I mention colour of non-penalty-takers is because these racist urchins have a sense of superiority based on colour. Colour makes no difference to me but the fact is that their fellow whites didn’t step up to take a pen (I’m white to btw) but a 19 year old black kid took the most crucial one. I find this hypocrisy or lack of awareness or whatever you want to call it most ridiculous. I admire those who do step up to take a penalty knowing consequences of failure often go beyond costing their team a trophy. Some players… Read more »

karl

In recent years I have often felt ashamed to English as these types resurface.

Now the sideshow is over, I can’t wait to get back to Arenal with renewed hope the the next season.

Nainsley Aitland Miles

The real football starts tomorrow – Hibernian v Arsenal.

BillyKrystal

They haven’t resurfaced, they’ve always been there only now they’re emboldened by idiots in power who’ve told them that their vile thoughts need to be heard. These politicians don’t do it out of principle or real belief, it’s all cynical fear mongering to keep themselves in power and these mouth breathers take the bait every time.

The Beast

Truer words have never been spoken. These racists take their cue from those in power who are too cowardly to back anti racist gestures for fear of losing votes, yet have the audacity to jump on the bandwagon when it’s convenient for them and act with faux outrage when the inevitable racist abuse continues.

Neville was spot on when he said leadership in this country has been sorely lacking over the past few years.

karl

Well said BillyKrystal. We have stepped back decades in the last few years.

Dave Roberts

It’s ok to be ashamed, Karl. As an ex-pat who’s lived many years in the States, I can assure you that hatred of other peoples still exists throughout the world in every country. Remember the name of the country on Arsenal’s armbands …. Rwanda? I seem to remember a veritable slaughter of the Tutsis by the Hutus about 25 years ago. They both happen to have black coloured skin. There’s something deeper within the hearts of men that causes this type of hatred.

PeteyB

Too true. I imagine some for our Irish friends would be able to say something on that matter. These days I live in an India where it feels racial tensions are increasing all the time. I experience that peculiar flavour of racism somewhat similar to Asian Americans, in that people assume that since I’m a white guy I am some kind of genius with all the answers.. a bit more nuanced than that, but you get the idea. Racism is everywhere. Even where common ground is there folk will always find new and exciting ways to divide. You’re the wrong… Read more »

Hurensohn

I’m not sure I get the ashamed to be English thing really. Those people do not represent me or my country, they just happen to have been born here. Be proud of who you are and where you’re from, regardless of the morons we have to share the planet with.

Savage

I’m starting to think they’re taking the wrong approach on the racism issue. In life we always have trolls, even on Arseblog, and they enjoy the reaction they get for going against the grain. Constantly raising the issue creates a red flag for a bull, and I’d like us to pursue a different path, focusing on the good of the players, rather than giving airtime to the trolls.

Ironically, when I see these articles, they give even more attention to the fact that Saka is black, rather than human. Let’s have a rethink on the strategy.

PB70

So, the hide-your-head-in-the-sand solution?

Players can be praised AND racists can be called out – the two are not mutually exclusive.

Constantly raising the issue is a good thing, having some real consequences would be better.

Trolling is not the same as racism and bigotry, though they overlap at times.

Savage

We’re not hiding our heads – after a year of bending the knee, there are NO football racists who have not heard the message, and yet they continue. We just have to be honest and admit when certain strategies are not working, and they clearly aren’t. What we do know is that airtime is the oxygen of trolls, which is why the cameras turned away when that fan ran onto the field last night.

Charles MMM

He’s black and should be proudly so. It’s his God given being, and we shouldn’t try to dilute that fact because of some scums (apologies to sensitive readers) that hides behind keyboards.

Savage

I prefer Martin Luther King’s position – let’s tone down the racial talk and focus first on our human qualities. It’s so weird how the progressives are trying to classify people again and draw lines, rather than celebrate our shared humanity, and in this case, our love of the game and the players.

Man

Yeah, let’s just go back to the time where we pretended racism didn’t exist. Because talking about it is so inconvenient.

loose_cannon

Hmmm, I don’t think Martin Luther King was known for “toning down racial talk”. That’s not how civil rights works. You can’t come up with solutions if you’re too cowardly to talk about the problem.

PB70

Because of your attitude you see it as ‘classifying people and drawling lines’. Highlighting our differences is not a bad thing when it’s explained to the dipshits that our differences are not something makes anyone a lesser person. The whole point is to embrace the differences in each other and not hide from it. If you see it as drawing lines – that is your issue, not a problem with the message.

You apparently have no clue what MLK’s position is. Just bullshit misconstrued rightwing talking points to you.

Teta's cult of personality

I don’t know how much you know about the American Civil Rights movement but I hope you know that MLK wasn’t that well-liked back in his day. It was one of the topics I had to discuss in my history exam. Accounts by contemporary historians suggest that MLK and the SCLC were actually hated by the majority of Americans before he died. To put it into context… He was even more disliked than BLM is today (yes seriously). The American government didn’t like the outward image he gave the USA. The FBI were wiretapping his phones. Conservatives downright loathed him.… Read more »

Badaab

You might want to have a closer read of your mlk there, king was not exclusively ‘turn the other cheek’ as he has been widely remembered- you can thank 50 years of whitewashing for that as politicians, corporations, and the media attempt to get on the right side of history with regards to racial, social, and economic justice by watering down king’s message.

The Beast

It’s been said already but it’s worth repeating. You have no idea what MLK’s position was if that’s your take away from his activism

Beef

Well he did say “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character” which seems to me to express an ambition to transcend ethnicity and emphasise shared humanity. I imagine that’s probably what Savage is getting at.

Sachin

So one line of his speech is the essence of his message to the world?

Cicero

And you and those above exemplify the left wing facism that is now rampant – where you brook no dicsussion unless it falls in line (depending on where you’ve moved the goalposts now) exactly with your way of thinking. How productive.

Teta's cult of personality

What exactly is left-wing fascism? That’s like saying skinny-obesity is rampant.

How do you even know Beast is left-wing to begin with? And how is he stopping Savage from saying what he wants to say?

arseblog

“Left-wing fascism” 😂

Qwaliteee

Heh.

“What exactly is left wing fascism?” 🤣

Erm….Communism? Hello?

Sachin

Another mite here! If you call out racists they will say you are facist because you are forcing them to change their perspective.

Sorry Cicero, the times have left you behind. But the future is with us.

Cicero

Yup. The moonbats are skating free on all of this, aided by the moonbat media.

truj

He is a football player. My children do not ever mention that the guy is black or yellow.

PB70

If you or your kids only see football players and not their colour, good on all of you and you raised them well. But it doesn’t change the facts of the debate. This issue is about Saka being racially abused and not enough being done about it – not about the majority of people who are decent and not racist. If anything, your comment takes away from Charle’s very valid point by using a personal anecdote that has very little to do with Saka being racially abused. For people of colour (and white people) who are made to be conscious… Read more »

Sachin

I’ll try to help you understand.

Saying someone is black is not bad, saying someone is yellow certainly is.

Associating failure with the colour of skin is terrible.

By not mentioning colour, race, religion, creed, sexual orientation – it doesn’t cease to have an effect on how we treat people.

Players from certain backgrounds are picked on without the use of racist epithets.

When someone says he/she/them feel they are being attacked for who they are – listen.

Don’t just hear, listen.

End of class.

Jarghs

The minute Rashford missed his penalty, I knew I’d be waking up to news stories of racial abuse on Twitter. What sorry fucking state of affairs when we’ve come to expect a vile racist response to something that happens on a football field.

Teta's cult of personality

Rashford hasn’t been the same since the Europa League final. It’s been happening for a while now. None of them seem to care that he’s an amazing person, they’re just looking for their 15 minutes of internet infamy.

Sachin

Just to emphasise: to discount the politics of it knowing what Rashford (and Kaepernick before him) stood for, is to be naive.

Viv The 🐐

Till yesterday I thought, these days of the 80s in regards of going places and just smashing things seem to be over. But oh boy have I been proven wrong. Pair that with this racist nonsense and you have yourself a problem at hand.

Teta's cult of personality

I remember a few French people posted on YouTube back in 2016 videos that documented various fan clashes that trashed their town-centres. The most high profile fight was England vs Russia. There were also clashes that involved Turkish, Hungarian, Croatian, German, Spanish and Ukrainian fans

Some of those town streets looked like a tornado had flown through them. You can see the events on YouTube for yourself.

SarcasmB0t

This isn’t primarily a racism issue it’s primarily a cunt issue.

Southgate isn’t black, but he was subjected to plenty of abuse too, and that was before social media.

If white players had missed penalties, the same cunts would be abusing them now.

The thing is, cunts a lot of cunts are also racist.

Nainsley Aitland Miles

Good point. How much abuse did Beckham get after being sent-off against Argentina. That lasted for years.

Gunnerbear

Some supporters, of a certain vintage, may recall various ‘Posh Spice’ chants on the terraces across the country.

Qwaliteee

Yeah. Those chants were vile. Totally uncalled for.

Qwaliteee

Sadly, a lot of those abusing him – and his wife – were Arsenal fans at the 98/99 Charity (Community) Shield.

I was at that game. We beat United 3 – 0, the team was superb, but the abuse given to Beckham by the Arsenal fans was needless and embarrassing.

Cobwebs

It is racist because the abuse mentions their race. That’s the whole point.

There is othe vile abuse which is not racist which is also disgraceful.

Savage

I’m actually interested to see what’s getting classed as racism. I remember the United fans singing about Lukaku’s appendage and that was being classed as racism, which is stupid.

Zenithreptile

That chant about Lukaku plays on a racial stereotype, so it’s racism.

Teta's cult of personality

Liverpool fans did the same thing to Origi. Making other people’s genitals a topic for discussion is weird behaviour. Not only is it downright disgusting but it’s an animalistic stereotype and isn’t a compliment. Hence why it was considered racist.

Teta's cult of personality

It depends on how you see it. Southgate’s issue and Saka’s issue are not the same kind of issue. They exist separately and the common link is that they are both forms of abuse from football fans. So you can’t say Saka’s case isn’t primarily a race issue because it’s quite different from what Southgate experienced. If it were the same Saka would be being attacked on verbal grounds only and not in an ethnic context. That is not to say the abuse Southgate received is warranted but it’s entirely different. Either way I hope Gareth is having a good… Read more »

The Beast

And yet it is primarily a racism issue if the abuse targeted at black players is because of or referencing the fact that they’re black.

There’s no doubt Southgate received tons of abuse but I doubt any of that abuse referenced his race.

It’s not that difficult to understand really and trying to downplay racist abuse by conflating it with other forms of abuse is counterproductive to say the least.

SarcasmB0t

Look, I’m the last person to downplay racism, but abuse is vile by design. If a cunt is trying to abuse someone, they will invariably reach for what they believe will hurt them the most. For people of color, that is going to be racial epithets. For Zinedine Zidane, it was his sister. Football sometimes brings out the worst in people, but I think this has gotten far more attention than it deserves. From the outside looking in, it seems like the actions of a tiny number of pricks – you’re always going to get those. Treat them like the… Read more »

Sachin

Abuse is different from racist abuse.

Neither has any place in sport.

Qwaliteee

Top post.

UzesGooner

Absolute disgrace but no surprise. These are same idiots that boo the team taking the knee…..it goes straight over their head. All the young England lads did us proud, shame there is an element of England fans who always let us down. Saka is a credit to his family, to his club and to England

Gunnerbear

Talking the knee is an intricately linked to the BLM Revolutionary Violent Marxist agenda. You can’t separate taking the knee from wanting to smash the Police, to empty the prisons, to break up the govt. by non-democratic means, to neutering the Security Services.

Any sportsman thinking taking the knee is some sort of statement purely against racism, is IMHO, a deluded fool.

Well done to the Milwall fans who booed their players taking the knee…Milwall fans who then stood in an anti-racism gesture.

The Beast

They told you why they were taking the knee & you’ve completely ignored them, presumably because you think you understand their intentions better than they do.

You can spout as much conspiratorial bullshit for as long as you like and as loud as you want. Doesn’t make it any less bullshit.

Giuseppe Hovno

“You can’t separate taking the knee from wanting to … break up the govt. by non-democratic means” is one of the saddest/funniest internet-man takes i’ve seen for a while

Thierry Bergkamp (non negotiable)

Millwall fans…..a lovely bunch. Definitely not a racist bone in any of those Bermondsey boys

Sachin

All the players taking the knee and all us liberal social justice warriors are coming for your pint and tikka. The Arsenal belongs to us. You are right to be scared.

StuArse

That is a brilliant message, exactly what I would have expected of Arsenal. Without Saka’s efforts in semi final, England wouldnt be here anyway. Proud of the lad, disgusted by the abusers.

Twatsloch

Nothing against the manager or the players (except Kane, Sterling and Trippier) but I’m glad England lost. It had to happen because if it hadn’t we’d be drowming in louts singing about football coming home for all eternity.

Graeb

That’s just wrong in my view.

England winning would have given so much credit to homegrown black players and further integrated the variety of races/religions who were out supporting the team and uniting behind one team.

Twatsloch

It would also have given more courage to the Brexit pricks who believe England is exceptional and superior to the rest of the world. No thanks. Even a team like Italy, who I normally can’t abide for their diving and cheating, is preferable to that.

Teta's cult of personality

Right and you truly believe they aren’t Italian fans that don’t think the same way?

As if Euroscepticism and nationalism isn’t on the rise in Italy. Lega Nord and the 5 Star Movement have more parliamentary seats in Italy than UKIP and the Brexit Party ever did. That’s the ironic thing some of you guys seem to not be paying attention too.

Gunnerbear

Brexit…getting the UK ruled under laws made by UK politicians who can then be held to account for making those laws. Accountability….something lots of Tribe Arsenal demand of Arsenal Managers.

Twatsloch

Yeah, it’s the chest thumping, hubris and rudeness I can do without.

Gunnerbear

Fair comment, but Leavers have taken a huge amount of abuse.

Qwaliteee

…..says a Scotsman….!! 🤣

Teta's cult of personality

I can see both sides of this argument but I’m more inclined to agree with you Graeb. Besides the groups of lowlifes, this was the most diverse group of English supporters I’ve seen since I started watching football. The same can’t be said for Italy and there are documented reasons why. I feel a lot of people are either naive or being obtuse if they think an Italian victory represents some kind of victory against bigotry. Clearly they haven’t been paying attention to Italian football. It wasn’t just English fans that lost last night. A lot of people that have… Read more »

An irony here is that Rashford has probably fed some of the racial abuser’s own children through that free school meals program.

A Different George

I hope when Man United play at the Emirates, Rashford receives a standing ovation when he is announced. (Obviously–and as he would expect–boo him once the match begins.)

That all sounds far too complicated to a football fan. It may be easier if we just boo him whilst giving him a standing ovation at the same time.

loose_cannon

Heartbreaking and appalling to hear this. It’s beyond football and speaks to the society we have in this country. I’m relatively young and in my time I’ve seen huge progress in how ethnic minorities are treated. But over the last few years, that progress seems to have been stalled and is now being reversed. We have a government, shamelessly trying to bandwagon the national team, that protects racists and actively looks to sow divisions in society. We have unaccountable social media companies that do next to nothing on racial abuse. And we have some “fans” that seem to believe our… Read more »

Goonshow

Never mind the fact that it was a decent pen – the keeper just guessed the right side and then pulled off a bloody good stop.

Fatgooner

Sad to see England go out last night and I’m absolutely devastated for Saka. Italy was the better side yesterday but, yet again, England missed a golden chance to win a major trophy. Southgate was far too slow in making changes in that second half after the Italians began to impose themselves. For me, Saka and Grealish should have come on much earlier in the second period and England should have been more adventurous: if we had got a second goal before they scored then we probably would have won it. Trying to Cling onto a 1-0 lead for 88… Read more »

A M

These racists can go burn in hell And not just racism, any form of abuse deserves severe punishment Unfortunately most of the people in control of such stuff such as the heads of social media companies are utterly incompetent when it comes to controlling abuse (‘they can learn from their mistakes, hence a second chance’-yes, you fucking pieces of shit, say that when a loved one of yours gets any kind of abuse, be it sexual or racial or of any other kind, i dare you) Much love to Bukayo, making Arsenal and England proud, to be at such a… Read more »

truj

Do not use, read and listen to it! Like the pitch invaders, never shown on TV.

Laca New Signing

If I could talk to Bukayo today I’d advise him to switch allegiance to the country of his father (Nigeria) where he’ll be loved and celebrated all the time even when losing, and where the colour of his skin will never be an issue.

loose_cannon

Why does he have to switch allegiances? It’s the racist fans that can fuck off, frankly.

Teta's cult of personality

That’s not a possibility anymore. I believe he’s tied to England now

Merlin’s Panini

Saka shouldn’t let the cunts win. He’s a strong and brilliant young man and a credit to England.
Bigotry can only be removed through education and just not playing for England because of the racists gives them credence to continue being cunts.

prince onyuylo

All my family and friends back in Nigeria support Saka whatever shirt he is wearing and were behind the 3 lions last night.

The Arsenal fans are proud of Saka for standing up and taking one. He is a young man with a great future ahead, who knows maybe Stuart Pearce style redemption at the next World Cup.

Well done England. Now back to the Arsenal again.

Man

I used to love England, and Southgate and the players brought that back again. Classy. Just don’t feel the same about the country any more. Feels like a poisonous little island of cunts more and more. I always thought it was just a vocal minority, but now I’m not so sure.

Teta's cult of personality

Why should the boneheads and bigots change your view of the England team/manager. Imagine what the Arsenal supporter-base would still be like if no new fans came in because of how older fans behaved.

You are within your right to have presumptions about England. I just hope you are keeping the same reservations about other national teams because you might very well be surprised by what you find out.

Gunnerbear

Still crying over the fact that Leave won, are you?

Oh, if you want to hear real poison on the terraces, go to a Rangers – Celtic match…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I04_tJ_bK4k

..sing the “Billy Boys” in a pub and you’ll be arrested by which ever local Sherriff is passing.

And for the record, Celtic fans are just as bad.

Diaby's Left Peg

Strange that highlights and music can be taken down in seconds, but racism and lies seems acceptable.

Beef

There are technical reasons for this – an algorithm can spot stolen video and audio content, but language is more difficult and requires human moderators to go and remove, which isn’t possible when bajillions of posts are being made simultaneously.

Andy

It’s horrible and unforgivable but, like covid, it can’t be eliminated, we just have to live with it. All the handwringing in the world won’t stop it.

A M

so why resort to handwringing??
why the fuck can’t any action be taken?
unless everybody adopts a proactive approach to racism at different levels (you and i, people in power et cetera), it will stay as yet another blemish on human nature

Andy

Just force everyone to do a full identity check when they open a TwittergramBook account, and have every post moderated by a legal counsel, to check it is in line with that country’s Equality laws. I would be in favour of that (for a variety of reasons) but we all know that’s never going to happen, because it would cost people like Dorsey and Zuckerberg too much money. So with 7.5bn opinions on the planet, most of whom have (or will have) access to the internet, its a disease we have to live with.

The Beast

Yeah, I doubt the “Black London Community” will be taking advice from you anytime soon.

Something tells me you may not have their best interests at heart.

Drew

“The fastest way for evil to prosper is for good men to stand by and do nothing!”

Andy

Indeed. That’s why all of us coming on here talking about how disgusted we are is a total waste of time.

Merlin’s Panini

Anyone subjecting the players to racial abuse is not a real England fan, nor do they understand what it means to be English. They can go take their bigotry and stick it up their arses. Disgusting. Fed up with cunts like that giving this country a bad name.
Saka, Sancho and Rashford wore that shirt with pride and deserve nothing but praise for showing the sheer balls to step up when others didn’t and wouldn’t.

Gunnerbear

Spot on! And don’t forget, back when a senior player went and sat out the penalties leaving less experienced players to attempt to do the job…

… practicing penalties, in football, is to my mind pointless…let those who’ve got the stones take the penalties.

Billy bob

Didn’t the authorities catch up with one online racist abuser who, it transpired, lived abroad? Need more of this if so!!! Unfortunately there are some saps that think they are the football team so, if a player does “let them down”, it deflates their already limited ego and they have a keyboard strop!!! Often highlighting what we already know – they are a low life that rides on others glory like it was them and turn nasty when it doesn’t work out how they want!!

Teta's cult of personality

Yeah. A Singaporean Arsenal fan got sentenced to probation for repeatedly sending online death threats to Neil Maupay 🙁

The sentencing was all administered over in Singapore but they also looked at evidence provided from the UK.

Would have been great if Xhaka’s tormentor met the same fate.

Badaab

England supporters really are some of the worst football fans and people on the planet! Here’s to a bad hangover for all these bright red, thumb shaped men with tiny minds.

Zenithreptile

I was in the pub last night as a neutral. That didn’t last long. The England fans around us were fucking horrendous and just a total embarrassment.

GoonerJag

I think if I was a black player in 2021 I would seriously consider not playing for England if called up for international duty. I’m old enough to remember the bad old days of the late 70s and early 80s when racism was pretty much in your face every time you went to a football game. Some grounds were worse than others – I remember going with a mate of mine to Stamford Bridge when Chelsea were where they belong (in the second division) and you had to push your way past sellers of NF News INSIDE the ground! NF… Read more »

Rick

👏🏿

#define

Personally, I think these types of people should be encouraged to speak up and given the mic.

This way, we’ll know whom to ban from the games/stadiums/procreation//life.

Dave Roberts

It’s worth noting that social media companies feel fine about suppressing conservative thought and negative reports about the Covid-19 vaccine. But when it comes to any form of racist comments, they take no action. I suggest that they allow the former whilst censoring the latter.

C.B.

In the phrase above ‘Once again, we are sad to have to say we condemn the racism of a number black players.’ shouldn’t it be ‘racism towards’ rather than ‘racism of’?!

It’s obvious what it is trying to say but it isn’t right when read out.

Do we know for certain that the racist abuse came from English fans though?

They could have come from Italians being sore winners, they could have come from anyone in the world who had a bet on an England win.

Didn’t an Arsenal fan get cautioned for abusing a Brighton player. Turned out he was from Singapore. Someone got cautioned for racially abusing Ian Wright recently, turned out he was from Ireland.

Beef

I’m guessing the defacement of the Rashford mural was an English fan. :/

Nainsley Aitland Miles

Yep seen that after my post. Probably just a disgruntled Man City fan. Nice to see the graffiti was covered up with notes of praise and love for Rashford.

Sachin

Don’t excuse it by saying it was prolly this or that.

English fans did storm the gates.

English fans did bully and abuse a Danish kid.

English fans did assault a Danish woman.

No Singaporean ‘loves’ the red and white army so much.

Alex

There should be a special jail where you get sent for minor offences – like the sin bin of life – enough to (hopefully) give a bit of a shock and cause some disruption to these people. Like 2 week’s jail, you lose your holiday at work etc. Unpleasant and you want to avoid it and maybe some learn a lesson.

Teryima Adi

We love you, Bukayo. Keep your head up.

A Different George

I will leave aside the vile implication of most of what you are saying, and just ask this: do you think it was Southgate who “made sure” the players took the knee? That it wasn’t a genuine sense of solidarity from the likes of Henderson, and Maguire (and, yes, Harry Kane) in support of their teammates? Do you think Holding and Smith Rowe don’t really mean it?

Here is the truth, I think, and I hope it terrifies you: there is a whole generation, Black and white, that is “woke.”

Cicero

Not a whole generation by any means, but if by ‘woke’, you mean indoctrinated, handout-dependent and unthinking, then, yep, I agree – there are a quite a few.

Teta's cult of personality

😂😂😂😂😂. I’m not a fan of the word myself but you really do have some built-up frustration and it’s showing. It’s really not that serious😁

WellArsed

Totally agree with the sentiment of the statement but it is a shame they couldn’t have taken the time to make it grammatically correct. They are not condemning “the racism of a number of black players” but the racism directed at those players. Of course, in a better world, they wouldn’t have had to issue a statement at all.

JAB

I purchased a Saka top for my 8 year old son this morning. I cannot think of a better role model for him. I hope they fly off the shelves.

Drew

I’m surprised these knuckle-dragging, inbred Neanderthals can even use a keyboard.

Marius

“We are sad to have to say we condemn the racism of a number black players”
I think this not what was meant…?

arseblog

Badly phrased, all right

Goonshow

This may seem strange advice at first glance, but do hear me out… Do NOT get angry with these poor, narrow human beings. Anger is too powerful an emotion, and therefor one of which they are entirely undeserving. Instead, just pity them. Pity the limited intellect and emotional EQ that allows them to believe that skin colour, or any other physical differentiator for that matter, is grounds for any form of negative stereotyping. Pity them for the visceral root of pure fear that must necessarily lie at the base of such irrational bitterness. Finally, pity them for their single, feeble… Read more »

gunnertacks

I live in Canada so I can’t comment on the social circumstances of the UK but I imagine that some of my experience is shared. I’m in my mid-40s and i vividly recall being proud of my generation in my youth for their acceptance on issues of race, equality and the like. I remember drawing confidence that my world will be a better place if we just remain patient and let our parents and their parents peacefully leave this world. While I can’t properly explain why my generation degenerated I can say for certain that I was wrong. To Bukayo… Read more »

Pharquhar

Priti and Alexander must be loving it.

Daniel Wynne

I feel like this England team represent what our country should be but then a bunch of the fans pop up and remind us of the depressing reality of what our country is

Also props to Tyrone Mings to calling out the hypocrisy of Priti Patel and others in the government

Sachin

I’ve prided Arsenal fans not stooping to the level of Chelsea Stoke fan’s level – but I urge the club to ban any Arsenal fan using racist homophobic epithets for life. This thing needs to be stomped before trolls and ‘passionate’ supporters adopt it as part of the supporter culture.

Beef

There are not-insignificant sections of the fanbase who think nothing of bellowing the word ‘yiddo’. We are probably already at that level, I reckon.

Teta's cult of personality

Good point. Passionate is how I’d describe the users/staff of Arseblog and most Arsenal fans. We haven’t had the most glamourous of decades but we’re still here supporting the team whilst maintaining our sanity (somehow).

Juvenile and unhinged is how I’d describe those that are willing to abuse people or be anti-social over a sport. I can get annoyed when I suck at a video game but I’m not going to break my tv or insult my neighbour over a game.

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