For a few glorious weeks this summer we believed.
We believed that football was “coming home”, we believed in the power of the beautiful game to bring people and communities together, and we believed in its power to transcend racism.
It’s the first time I’ve truly seen people from across the country, regardless of their cultural heritage, coming together to enjoy supporting the England football team – a team that not only reflected modern Britain, but one in which players used their high profiles to raise awareness of social injustice and the fight against racist abuse.
We saw what our country could be like when we embrace and celebrate our differences and come together as one.
But then came the racist trolls to ruin the party.
Do you agree? Join the discussion in the comment section
Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, who gave everything on the pitch, were subject to vile racist abuse online.
It would be great if we could all ignore the poison that flows from the keyboards of these cowards. We all know that the bile they spew is moronic. But no matter how thick your skin is, it’s not fun being at the centre of a race storm.
As usual, most of the abuse is posted by faceless clowns on social media. But as Yvette Cooper said yesterday, social media has given these morons a worldwide megaphone. And even though the abuse has been widely condemned, the fallout from the messages has reopened painful old wounds.
In yesterday’s PMQs, Boris Johnson announced people caught posting racist abuse would be banned from matches – big deal. Who knows if they attend football matches? Quite frankly, who cares? There need to be much tougher penalties, including stiff custodial sentences, for anyone who posts racist abuse online.
Multi-billion-dollar social media companies must do a much better job of protecting people who use their services and stop racist and hate speech appearing on their platforms. If Facebook can send in the social media police to clamp down on pictures of mothers breastfeeding, there’s no doubt they can block racist abuse.
Follow all the latest news by signing up to one of the Mirror's newsletters
Users should have to prove who they are before getting an account or get their parents to set it up for them. I know this could have a knock-on effect on people using it. But blame the minority who have ruined it for the majority.
People who condemn racism also need to stop sharing and reposting these horrible messages – you’re inadvertently doing the work of the racists for them.
Above all, as upsetting as this is, we can’t let racists win. Look at the reaction to the Marcus Rashford mural covered in messages of support – love can drown out hate. We’ve come a long way. Don’t let the losers taste victory.
