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Police to investigate Burnley 'White Lives Matter' aircraft banner Police to investigate whether Burnley 'White Lives Matter' stunt was a crime
(about 3 hours later)
Stunt that took place during match at Etihad Stadium linked to a football hooligan firm Incident during match at Etihad Stadium linked to football hooligan gang
Police are looking into the circumstances in which a banner reading “White Lives Matter Burnley” was towed by an aircraft at a game between Manchester City and Burnley FC. Police are seeking to establish whether a criminal offence took place when a banner reading “White Lives Matter Burnley” was towed over the stadium by an aircraft during Monday night’s Premier League game between Manchester City and Burnley.
The stunt, which unfolded above the Etihad Stadium moments after players and staff had taken a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement on Monday evening, has been blamed on individuals from a football hooligan firm connected with Burnley. The incident “caused offence to many people in Lancashire and beyond”, a senior officer said on Tuesday as the stunt was blamed on individuals from a group of football hooligans connected with Burnley.
They included a supporter associated with former English Defence League (EDL) leader Tommy Robinson. The supporter claimed responsibility online before deleting his social media presence. The banner was trailed in the sky above the Etihad Stadium in Manchester moments after players and staff had taken a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Another figure, who has convictions for football-related violence, was linked to a WhatsApp group where money was said to have been sought to pay for the plane. Among those being blamed for the incident is a Burnley supporter associated with the former English Defence League (EDL) leader Tommy Robinson. The supporter claimed responsibility online before deleting his social media presence.
The company which provided the plane is Air Ads, an aerial advertising and banner towing company based in the north of England which uses a Cessna. The aircraft circled over Manchester City’s ground at about 8pm before landing back at Blackpool airport at 8.30pm, according to flight tracking technology. Another figure who has convictions for football-related violence was linked to a WhatsApp group where money was said to have been sought to pay for the plane.
It then took off again at 8.45am on Tuesday morning and was last detected near Newport in South Wales. Chief Supt Russ Procter, of Lancashire police, said: “We are making inquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding this incident and we will then be in a position to make an assessment as to whether any criminal offences have taken place.
Blackpool airport said it would stop operating banner flights following an emergency review. “We recognise that this banner will have caused offence to many people in Lancashire and beyond and we continue to liaise closely with our partners at both the club and in the local authority.”
Stephen Smith, manager of Blackpool airport, said: “Blackpool airport and Blackpool council are outraged by this incident. We stand against racism of any kind and absolutely do not condone the activity. The message was offensive and the action reprehensible.” A company that employs a man who is reported to have claimed responsibility for the stunt told the Guardian it was investigating after being made aware of an incident involving one of its employees, adding that he was on furlough leave when the incident occurred.
Smith said banners are not checked before take-off and that the content is at the operator’s discretion. Paradigm Precision Burnley, which makes aerospace components and is listed on Burnley football club’s website as a “connected member”, which allows it to secure discounted match tickets for its workers, added: “The matter is being taken very seriously and a full investigation is being carried out into the facts and potential breaches of a number of the company’s equality, diversity and social media policies. To be very clear, Paradigm does not condone racism in any form.”
He added: “Blackpool airport will suspend all banner-towing operations at the airport with immediate effect and we would suggest that other airports should also consider this approach in light of what has happened at Blackpool.” The company that provided the plane is Air Ads, an aerial advertising and banner towing company based in the north of England, which uses a Cessna. The aircraft circled over Manchester City’s ground at about 8pm on Monday before returning to Blackpool airport at 8.30pm, according to flight tracking technology. It took off again at 8.45am on Tuesday morning and was last detected near Newport in south Wales.
Iffy Onuora, the equalities officer for the Professional Footballers Association, said on Tuesday that he hoped the widespread condemnation of the banner will act as a catalyst for further conversations about the Black Lives Matter movement. Blackpool airport said it would stop operating banner flights following an emergency review. Stephen Smith, the airport manager, said: “Blackpool airport and Blackpool council are outraged by this incident. We stand against racism of any kind and absolutely do not condone the activity. The message was offensive and the action reprehensible.”
“The words themselves aren’t offensive, it’s just the context. It’s the rejection of the conversation we’re having at the moment. That’s what it represents,” Onoura told the BBC. Smith said banners were not checked before take-off and that the content was at the operator’s discretion. He added: “Blackpool airport will suspend all banner-towing operations at the airport with immediate effect and we would suggest that other airports should also consider this approach in light of what has happened at Blackpool.”
“I guess people have the right to do it. For me it’s just proof again that these things can lead to positive things because all that’s been said in the 12 hours since the game finished has been, again, a catalyst, another conversation to have.” Iffy Onuora, equalities officer for the Professional Footballers’ Association, said on Tuesday that he hoped the widespread condemnation of the banner would act as a catalyst for further conversations about the Black Lives Matter movement.
Nick Lowles, the chief executive officer of the campaign organisation Hope not Hate, said that the stunt was carried out by prominent members of the Burnley’s so-called “Suicide Squad”, a hooligan gang whose members include supporters of the club. “The words themselves aren’t offensive, it’s just the context. It’s the rejection of the conversation we’re having at the moment. That’s what it represents,” Onoura told the BBC. “I guess people have the right to do it. For me it’s just proof again that these things can lead to positive things because all that’s been said in the 12 hours since the game finished has been, again, a catalyst, another conversation to have.”
Burnley’s captain, Ben Mee, said he felt ashamed and embarrassed of supporters who organised a banner displaying the words while the club have vowed to issue lifetime bans to those responsible for the offensive stunt. Nick Lowles, chief executive officer of the campaign organisation Hope not Hate, said the stunt was carried out by prominent members of Burnley’s so-called “Suicide Squad”, a hooligan gang, or “firm”, whose members include supporters of the club.
Burnley’s captain, Ben Mee, said he felt “ashamed and embarrassed” by the incident, while the club has said it will issue lifetime bans to those responsible for the stunt.
Burnley swiftly issued a statement that apologised “unreservedly to the Premier League, to Manchester City and to all those helping to promote Black Lives Matter”.Burnley swiftly issued a statement that apologised “unreservedly to the Premier League, to Manchester City and to all those helping to promote Black Lives Matter”.
After the game, which ended in a 5-0 victory for Manchester City, Mee delivered his own powerful condemnation. In an interview with Sky the defender said: “I’m ashamed and embarrassed that a small number of our fans have decided to put that around the stadium. There are a group of lads that are in there embarrassed to see that. It’s missed the whole point of what we’re trying to achieve and these people need to come into the 21st century and educate themselves as a lot of us do. After the game, which ended in a 5-0 victory for Manchester City, Mee delivered his own powerful condemnation. In an interview with Sky, the defender said: “I’m ashamed and embarrassed that a small number of our fans have decided to put that around the stadium … It doesn’t represent what we’re about, what the club is about, what the players are about and what the majority of the fans are about. It’s a small minority of people and I’m really upset that it happened. As we were coming out we heard some whispers that it was going to happen. The club tried to stop it.”
“It doesn’t represent what we’re about, what the club is about, what the players are about and what the majority of the fans are about. It’s a small minority of people and I’m really upset that it happened. As we were coming out we heard some whispers it was going to happen. The club tried to stop it.”
A statement was due to be issued by Lancashire police on Tuesday. However, a Twitter account for a football unit of the force which covers Burnley said it was aware of the incident and would be investigating it.