Gary Neville has said that “angry, middle-aged white men” are creating division in the UK.
The former Manchester United footballer posted a video to LinkedIn where he shared his thoughts after two men were killed at an attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall.
Neville compared the scene he witnessed on Bury New Road where the Jewish community came together in the aftermath of the attack and the scene he saw on Littleton Road in Salford where there were “probably 50-60” union flags up.
“Seeing the news last night and the news this morning dominated by the horrific attacks within the Jewish community, just a mile from here,” he said.
“When I was driving to Salford City last night, going down Littleton Road, I seen probably 50 or 60 Union Jack flags. And on the way back I went down the parallel road, Bury New Road, which has got the Jewish community right at its heart and they’re out on the streets, defiant, not hiding or in fear.
“I just kept thinking as I was driving home last night that we’re all being turned on each other. And the division that’s being created is absolutely disgusting. Mainly created by angry, middle-aged white men, who know exactly what they’re doing.”
Neville claimed that the flags on lampposts across the country are “sending a message to everybody that there is something you don’t like”, and said they’re being used in a “negative fashion”.
“The Union Jack flag being used in a negative fashion is not right and I’m a proud supporter of England, of Great Britain, of our country and will champion it anywhere in the world as one of the greatest places to live.
“But I think we need to check ourselves, check ourselves and start to think about bringing ourselves back to a neutral point because we’re being pulled right and left and we don’t need to be pulled right and left at all.
“I’ve played in a football team with a group of people from Manchester, a group of people from Ireland, Wales, Scotland. But also I’ve played with people from Africa, people from Asia, people from America, people from Europe – and we were a beautiful team, united as one.
“Brexit has had a devastating effect on this country and the messaging is getting dangerous, extremely dangerous. All these idiots that are out there spreading hate speech in any form and abuse in any form, we must stop promoting them.
“It needs to stop now and get back to a country of love, of peace, of harmony and become a team again.”
Many praised Neville for his comments, with some pointing out that the angry reaction to his video was proving the exact point he was making.
One person wrote: “I see Gary Neville is getting a lot of abuse from middle aged white men, after calling out middle aged white men. I guarantee most of them haven’t listened to word he actually said, and don’t even realise that they’re just proving his point.”
Another said: “British, middle-aged white man from a working-class background here. I’m 100% with Gary Neville, thank you, @GNev2, for saying what so many of us are thinking. Those few who use our flag to intimidate others aren’t patriots, they’re the opposite, and they need to be called out.”