
<p><strong>TOPLINE</strong>: British politicians and football officials condemned racist abuse lobbed at a number of England soccer players Sunday after the team lost the Euro 2020 final to Italy in penalty shootouts, following a day of unrest as rowdy crowds gathered in London and across England to watch the match.  </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<p>Torrents of racist abuse were directed at three Black England players—Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho—after the trio failed to score penalties during the game’s final shootouts Sunday night.&nbsp;</p>



<p>England’s Football Association condemned the abuse and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/FA/status/1414392591173492737?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;it is “appalled by the online racism that has been aimed at some of our England players on social media.”</p>



<p>Echoing the FA’s sentiment, the England team&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/England/status/1414390646169821186?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">released</a>&nbsp;a statement saying it is “disgusted that some of our squad—who have given everything for the shirt this summer—have been subjected to discriminatory abuse online after tonight&#8217;s game.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson also&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1414465103374729220?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">backed</a>&nbsp;the team, saying they “deserve to be lauded as heroes, not racially abused on social media.”</p>



<p>The Metropolitan Police&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MetPoliceEvents/status/1414380936016318464?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;the racist abuse is “unacceptable, will not be tolerated and… will be investigated.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>The force said it <a href="https://twitter.com/MetPoliceEvents/status/1414388160595906564?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">made</a> 49 arrests during the day of the match and <a href="https://twitter.com/MetPoliceEvents/status/1414388737883131904?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">that</a> 19 officers were injured in confrontations with “volatile” crowds, <a href="https://inews.co.uk/news/england-vs-italy-police-riot-gear-break-up-england-fans-arrests-euros-final-1098789" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">including</a> those who <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/euro-2021/2021/07/11/london-descends-chaos-ahead-englands-euro-2020-final-showdown/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stormed</a> into London’s Wembley Stadium, where the match was held, trashed Leicester Square, threw bottles and set off flares in the street.   </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I am sickened by the racist abuse aimed at England players after last night’s match. <br><br>It is totally unacceptable that players have to endure this abhorrent behaviour. <br><br>It must stop now and all those involved should be held accountable. W</p>&mdash; The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1414514323142107136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/MQoVHCYUfy">pic.twitter.com/MQoVHCYUfy</a></p>&mdash; FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson) <a href="https://twitter.com/FAspokesperson/status/1414388159769714690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This England team deserve to be lauded as heroes, not racially abused on social media.<br><br>Those responsible for this appalling abuse should be ashamed of themselves.</p>&mdash; Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1414465103374729220?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/MQoVHCYUfy">pic.twitter.com/MQoVHCYUfy</a></p>&mdash; FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson) <a href="https://twitter.com/FAspokesperson/status/1414388159769714690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rashford, Saka and Sancho. <br><br>Three Lions. 🦁🦁🦁</p>&mdash; Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) <a href="https://twitter.com/SadiqKhan/status/1414361530620125184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



<p>Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/SadiqKhan/status/1414384625032613889?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;there is “absolutely no place for racism in football or anywhere else.” Khan called on social media companies to “act immediately to remove and prevent this hate.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>British politicians from&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/OliverDowden/status/1414489436608466946?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">across</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AlexDaviesJones/status/1414471383065710594?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">political</a>&nbsp;spectrum said the online abuse underscores the need for stricter regulation for social media companies.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>England’s football players have been taking the knee before matches for the past year in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. The practice, which has led to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-57382945" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">booing</a>&nbsp;from crowds, has continued for Euro 2020 matches. England players Home Secretary Priti Patel&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/pritipatel/status/1414483365558951937?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;she is “disgusted” by the “vile racist abuse” the England players—”who have given so much for our country this summer”—have been subjected to on social media. In June, Patel&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/priti-patel-taking-knee-boo-england-b1865409.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">defended</a>&nbsp;the right of fans to boo England players for taking the knee in protest of racism, describing it as “gesture politics.” Over the course of the tournament, fans and politicians alike have been quick to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/hypocrite-priti-patel-celebrates-after-24488499" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">accuse</a>&nbsp;Patel of hypocrisy when showing her support for the team. English football clubs, players and organizations have previously orchestrated social media boycotts to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2021-04-30/manchester-united-report-350-increase-in-online-abuse-towards-players-as-club-joins-social-media-boycott" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">protest</a>&nbsp;the abuse players face. Rashford has been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/may/27/marcus-rashford-receives-racial-abuse-social-media-after-europa-league-loss" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">open</a>&nbsp;about the racist abuse he faces on social media, which he has previously reported to the police.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/fa-condemns-racist-abuse-players-following-englands-final-loss-2021-07-12/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FA condemns racist abuse of players after England&#8217;s Euro 2020 final loss</a> (Reuters)</p>



<p><strong><em>By </em></strong><em><strong>Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</strong></em></p>


Tag: England's Football Association

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

Racist Abuse Targeted At Black England Players Denounced By U.K.’s Boris Johnson, FA And Prince William