Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

U.K. to ban online racists from games after Euro 2020 uproar

Share
LONDON -

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the government plans to ban anyone guilty of online racist abuse from soccer matches as authorities continue to respond to the lawlessness connected to England's loss in the final of the European soccer championship.

Johnson on Wednesday told lawmakers that it was time to act after three Black members of England's national team were targeted by racist abuse on social media after they failed to score during the penalty shootout that sealed the team's loss to Italy on Sunday night. The government plans to add online racism to the list of offenses for which fans can be barred from matches, he said.

“What we are doing is taking practical steps to ensure that the football banning regime is changed so that if you are guilty of racist abuse online on football, then you will not be going to the match,†Johnson said during his weekly prime minister's questions session. “No ifs, no buts, no exemptions, no excuses.â€

Courts are allowed to issue banning orders if a fan is convicted of a “relevant offence†linked to a match, including crimes such as disorderly behavior or possession of weapons.

While many fans have rallied around Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka since the players were targeted on social media, activists said racism in English soccer is a longstanding problem that authorities haven't done enough to address.

Sancho spoke out about the incident in an Instagram post on Wednesday, encouraging young players who have experienced similar abuse to stay strong and “keep chasing the dream.â€

“I'm not going (to) pretend that I didn't see the racial abuse that me and my brothers Marcus and Bukayo received after the game, but sadly it's nothing new,†he wrote. “As a society we need to do better, and hold these people accountable.â€

Sunday's European Football Championship final was also marred by unruly behavior in central London and around Wembley Stadium, where ticketless fans stormed past police and into the game. Some observers have sharply criticized London's Metropolitan Police Service for failing to adequately prepare for what clearly would be a massive event.

The police department issued a statement Wednesday defending its actions, saying top brass had deployed “one of the most significant and comprehensive policing plans†ever rolled out for a soccer game.

Even so, some ticketless fans tried to push their way into stadium, injuring 19 police officers who were trying to control volatile crowds.

Police made 26 arrests at Wembley and another 25 in central London.

“I do not accept that the policing operation failed, and I standby the difficult decisions made by police officers and the Met's public order commanders,†Deputy Assistant Commissioner Jane Connors said. “Without their immediate intervention, it is possible that this game could have been abandoned,â€

The “ugly scenes at Wembley†will be reviewed by the Football Association and by police, Connors said.

“Where lessons can be learnt, we will work with partners to ensure that future matches are not disrupted by a group of hooligans who are fueled on alcohol,†she said.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Debate gets testy as MPs consider confidence motion in PM Trudeau

MPs debated the first non-confidence motion of the fall House of Commons sitting today, seeing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre push once again for a snap election. But with votes secured to keep them afloat, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals were quick to turn the discussion into a referendum on the Conservative alternative.

A city councillor in British Columbia says an online mob of "extremists" and "politically motivated hackers" is responsible for uncovering and publicizing a photo of him wearing a blackface costume to a Halloween party in 2007.

We've all had neighbours we didn't like, but two people from Sault Ste. Marie have been awarded more than half a million dollars for the 'extreme' behaviour of the people who lived next to them.

Questions are being raised over the use of body cameras in stores as a way to combat crime.

An 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in a caught-on-video incident in Mississauga earlier this month is now facing auto theft charges in Toronto.

Local Spotlight

An ordinary day on the job delivering mail in East Elmwood quickly turned dramatic for Canada Post letter carrier Jared Plourde. A woman on his route was calling out in distress.

Fire has destroyed a barn and 17,000 plants at a family-owned business in Lower Coverdale, N.B.

Before influencers on social media, Canada’s Jeanne Beker was bringing the world of high fashion down to earth and as Calgary’s Glenbow Museum gets a major make-over, it will include a new exhibition showcasing the pop culture icon.

A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

A Nova Scotian YouTuber has launched a mini-truck bookmobile.

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

Stay Connected