Burnley release statement after ‘White Lives Matter’ banner flown over Man City game last night

Burnley have forcefully condemned a ‘White Lives Matter’ stunt that was carried out last night during the game against Manchester City.

Last night, in a match at the Etihad Stadium, a small plane trailing the words ‘White Lives Matter Burnley’ flew directly over the pitch shortly after kick-off.

The European football equality body, Fare, has described the act as a wide part of ‘racist backlash’. 

It comes after both teams wore ‘Black Lives Matter’ on the back of their shirts instead of their names, which has been customary since the Premier League returned amidst the recent anti-racism protests.

Just moments before the plane flew over, all 22 players took to the knee to honour the Black Lives Matter movement.

Burnley, quick to respond, issued a statement at half time which read: “Burnley Football Club strongly condemns the actions of those responsible for the aircraft and offensive banner that flew over the Etihad Stadium on Monday evening,

“We wish to make it clear that those responsible are not welcome at Turf Moor.

“This, in no way, represents what Burnley Football Club stands for and we will work fully with the authorities to identify those responsible and issue lifetime bans.

“The club has a proud record of working with all genders, religions and faiths through its award-winning Community scheme, and stands against racism of any kind.

“We are fully behind the Premier League’s Black Lives Matter initiative and, in line with all other Premier League games undertaken since Project Restart, our players and football staff willingly took the knee at kick-off at Manchester City.

“We apologise unreservedly to the Premier League, to Manchester City and to all those helping to promote Black Lives Matter.”

Fare further explained that the event is the latest in a series of distasteful acts across the continent. 

“The racist backlash against the Black Lives Matter movement across Europe is a trend we have seen and documented,” Fare’s executive director Piara Powar told the PA news agency.

“Set against the BLM message of equal rights, ‘White Lives Matter’ can only be motivated by racism and a denial of equal rights. It shows exactly why the fight for equality is so important and why the majority of people have supported it.

“At this stage we don’t know who is behind this, but it’s clear they don’t see the relevance of the message to football or the impact that racism has on so many people’s lives. So be it. The movement, the issues that are being discussed and the change that will arise is unstoppable. History will judge that this was a moment that led to change.”

Burnley captain, Ben Mee, said he was ‘ashamed and embarrassed’ about the incident and that the players on the field were sickened by what they saw above their heads.

“It completely misses the point of what we’re trying to achieve as a football community,” he told BBC Radio Five Live.

“It’s a minority of our supporters, I know I speak for a massive part of our support who distance ourselves from anything like that. It definitely had a had massive impact on us to see that in the sky.

“We were embarrassed, disappointed, upset. We are embarrassed that our name was in it. That they tried to attach it to our club. It doesn’t belong anywhere near our club. Fans like that don’t deserve to be around football.”

English football’s anti-racism charity, Kick It Out, explained that the sentiments of the banner represented a grave misunderstanding of the BLM initiative.

“The point of Black Lives Matter is not to diminish the importance of other people’s lives,” said the organisation’s chair Sanjay Bhandari.

“It is to highlight that black people are being denied certain human rights simply by virtue of the colour of their skin. It is about equality. We shall continue to support the Black Lives Matter movement and the fight for greater equality for all in football.”