Anti-racism demonstrators marched through Manchester city centre this afternoon ‘in solidarity’ with England footballers who were abused on social media after the Euros final.
The protest, beginning at St Peter’s Square, saw activists march along Cross Street and through Exchange Square and take the knee outside the National Football Museum.
As protestors took the knee, traffic was stopped outside Exchange Square, with Metrolink tram services diverted through Market Street on the Rochdale-East Didsbury line.
READ MORE: Messages left at the Marcus Rashford mural in Withington are to be preserved forever
Eyewitnesses estimated that around 150-200 people were involved in the peaceful demonstration, which took place on the hottest day of the year so far, in 29-degree heat.
“We have called this event because we want to be very clear that we stand in solidarity with the three footballers that were so viciously attacked on social media,” Nahella Ashraf told demonstrators in her speech at St Peter’s Square.
“I want to make it very clear that this is bigger than football — this is bigger than just a handful of fascists who are using social media to get their message of hate out.
“This is bigger than that. Boris Johnson said this week he was going to meet with social media companies about this, and we are very clear to say it’s not just about that.”
Ms Ashraf also accused the government of ‘not showing leadership’ when England’s decision to take the knee before matches was booed by some fans.
The protest, in which activists held signs, drummed, and chanted, comes days after another anti-racism demonstration in Withington, after a mural of Marcus Rashford was vandalised.
After the damage was covered up by a local business owner, hundreds of messages of support covered the mural — which Rashford brought him to the ‘verge of tears’.
Rashford, along with Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, were subjected to horrific racist abuse on social media after they missed penalties in England’s loss to Italy in the Euros final at Wembley.
Several people have been arrested in connection with sending abuse.
They include a 37-year-old man who handed himself into Chealde Heath police station on Wednesday.
