Micah Richards has made a passionate speech about how to tackle racism after a plane displaying a White Lives Matter banner overshadowed Manchester City’s win over Burnley.
The plane was seen above the Etihad just before kick-off as players from both sides took a knee as part of the Premier League’s support towards the Black Lives Matter movement.
And Richards insists it demonstrates there is considerable work to be done before racism can be eradicated, while pleading with those who resonated with the message on the plane to explain themselves.
“Burnley have come out and condemn it, but it shows, I speak to a lot of people who say, ‘all that’s happening in America, doesn’t happen in England,’” Richards told Sky Sports.
“Well, it’s proved today that, I know it’s a small minority, but they do feel like that. I don’t want to fight fire with fire, I want to educate people.
“I’d love to know, the pilot, doing White Lives Matter, surely that has to go through somebody. It’s a different processes to make that happen.
“I would like to see them and speak to them and ask them, ‘why do you feel this way? Explain to me why you feel this way?’
“I was brought up among a lot of black people and a lot of white people. I’m genuine in my heart.
“So I don’t understand why people actually feel this way.
“Until we understand why, nothing is going to change. We can wear t-shirts, we can do Black Lives Matter protests, and slowly we’re getting better.
“But it shows you today that, although it’s a small minority, it’s still happening.”
