Call to protect English football players from racism

This video features in a responsive display in the museum that presents the moments, stories and memes capturing the zeitgeist by going viral on the internet.

Following England’s defeat by Italy during a penalty shoot-out in the European soccer championship, black players from the English team who missed their shots were bombarded with racist abuse on social media – from English fans. Supporters like @_etherealtruth responded with a plea to protect the players and black Britons – who will continue to feel the effects of the racist backlash – asking “Only British when it suits you, right?”

Throughout the tournament, the English football team ‘took the knee’ at the beginning of matches to highlight racial discrimination, injustice and inequality, a gesture that originated with former American footballer and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick, who in 2016 knelt during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality in the United States. Considering the anti-racist gesture the team made during the tournament, for players Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka to be targeted by trolls left many across the country deeply disappointed, with condemnation coming swiftly from Prime Minister Boris Johnston, Prince William and England’s governing football association, as well as activists, fans and supporters.