Police are investigating after a banner saying “White Lives Matter Burnley” was flown over a Premier League football match and Mail readers are up in arms about it.
The plane flew above the Etihad Stadium in Manchester just after kick-off between Manchester City and Burnley on Monday night.
It happened moments after all players had taken the knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Chief Superintendent Russ Procter, of Lancashire Police, said: “We are making inquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding this incident and we will then be in a position to make an assessment as to whether any criminal offences have taken place.
“We recognise that this banner will have caused offence to many people in Lancashire and beyond, and we continue to liaise closely with our partners at both the club and in the local authority.”
Air Ads, the firm believed to have been hired to fly the banner, is based in a hangar at Blackpool Airport.
Statement
Burnley FC issued a strong statement condemning the banner during half-time and said the perpetrators would be banned for life if identified, while captain Ben Mee spoke passionately about the incident after the match.
Burnley Tory MP Antony Higginbotham also condemned the message, saying on Twitter: “Last night’s awful stunt was done by a small minority to offend and cause hurt to so many in our community.
“Those responsible should be ashamed of their desire to divide. They don’t speak for our town and @BurnleyOfficial has my full support in taking action against them.”
The article on the Mail Online has over 11,000 comments already, we have picked out a few of the most angry ones…
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