Burnley Council urged to team up with Clarets to tackle racism

Two politicians from different parties want Burnley Council to step up its efforts to tackle the issue on match days.

They want the authority to work closely with Burnley Football Club in the wake of the racist social media abuse heaped on three England after they missed penalties in July’s Euro 2020 Cup final against Italy.

Cliviger with Worsthorne ward Green Coun. Scott Cunliffe, a Clarets fan who ran to every away game in 2018/19, has proposed a motion for debate at Burnley Council’s full meeting on Wednesday evening.

It is seconded by Labour’s Coun. Bea Foster, the borough’s community boss.

The motion reads: “The council notes the recent success of the England squad for UEFA Euros 2020, which if it was not for injury would have included Burnley FC Goalkeeper Nick Pope.

“It notes that thousands of racist comments aimed at England players (notably Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka) were posted online after England’s defeat.”

The motion says: “Burnley Football Club has an anonymous ‘CLARETS RESPECT’ text line should anyone witness or experience any form of discrimination at any place in or around Turf Moor.

“On matchdays the text line is monitored in real time and includes proactive actions such as covert and overt monitoring.”

It says that ‘places with Premier League Clubs, like Burnley, need to continue to lead from the front in combating racist abuse and hate crimes both online and offline’.

The motion urges the council to ‘work closely with Burnley Football Club to schedule anti-racism messages across council social platforms on match days’.

It calls on the council to ‘write to the MP for Burnley and the Leader of the House of Commons to urge them to call on the Government to strengthen legislation to prevent online abuse’.

The motion says that: “This council believes any individual found guilty of online or offline hate crime and racism should receive a ban for life from all football games in England.”

It also calls on the council to ‘write to the FA, the Premier League and social media companies urging them to work together with the government to reduce hate crime and racial abuse online’.