Saturday 2 June 2012

Being a visiting football fan whilst being black

It would be nice to say that in England no black man or woman is abused, let alone murdered.  It would be nice to say that in England no footballer who signs for another team is derided with homophobic chants.

So this is some context for a mention of Sol Campbell's warning to black fans to stay away from Ukraine's hosting of Euro 2012.

I'm not black and not sufficient a fan to have ever considered travelling to watch England abroad.  People will have to make their own decisions about going;  but low ticket sales suggest all manner of England fans are keeping their cash in their pockets whether through fear of crime or the economic crisis.

As a criminologist the 'fear of crime' and Campbell's 'race crime' concerns are of obvious interest.  If nothing happens will that show nothing was going to happen or that precaution worked?

But worse what if black fans went and stood up for themselves, or were accompanied by anti-racists intent on challenge, how would they be policed?  Would the UK Govt see them as doughty human rights activists or 'hooligans' deserving of media trashing and banning orders?

1 comment:

  1. See also anti-gay sentiment and laws in Ukraine
    http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/05/29/ukraine-president-petitioned-on-draft-anti-gay-law/

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