News

Burnley fan behind ‘White Lives Matter’ stunt says he apologises “to absolutely f***ing nobody”

The Burnley fan who orchestrated a ‘White Lives Matter’ banner to be flown over Manchester City’s Eithad Stadium says he apologises “to absolutely f***ing nobody”.

Jake Hepple claimed responsibility for the stunt on Facebook yesterday, but showed little remorse for his actions.

He wrote on the social media platform: “I’d like to take this time to apologise . . . to absolutely f***ing nobody!”

Hepple, from Colne, Lancashire, is in the Suicide Squad – a gang of Burnley-supporting yobs believed to have spent a week crowdfunding for the banner and flyover. 

In one of his pictures he has his arm around far-right fanatic Tommy Robinson.

The aerial display, held above City’s Eithad Stadium after players had got down on one knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, was widely condemned.

Ben Mee, the Burnley captain, said that he was “shamed and embarrassed”.

Last night Chief Superintendent Russ Procter, of Lancashire police, who had been liaising with Greater Manchester police, the Aviation Authority and the Crown Prosecution Service over the matter, said: “After assessing all the information available surrounding this incident we have concluded that there are no criminal offences that have been disclosed at this time.”

According to The Times Paradigm Precision, an engineering company that employs Mr Hepple, said it was investigating his conduct.

Related: July 4th becoming like VE Day for the virus – Morgan

Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Published by