Raheem Sterling of England celebrates following his team's victory in the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Semi-final match between England and Denmark at Wembley Stadium on July 7
(Picture: Getty Images)A petition has been launched to have London renamed to “Sterlingrad” if England win the Euro 2020 tournament on Sunday.
It was launched yesterday on Change.org and already has over 1,000 signatures in support of the name change.
Craig Salmon who started the petition to the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan explained why he’s requesting the rename:
“To honour Raheem Sterling and the success of the England football team since they adopted Marxism.”
He’s referring to the controversy surrounding the England squad taking the knee before each match in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter.
The gesture was criticised by the likes of Nigel Farage and Laurence Fox - with both of them bizarrely labelling them as “Marxists.”
Gareth Southgate doesn't seem to understand that the BLM movement is not only Marxist but divisive too.
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) June 6, 2021
England fans will hate this, they just want to watch a game of football. https://t.co/qyU1izoLhi
If you don’t boo a bunch of spoiled millionaire ball chasers taking the knee to a Marxist cult whose stated aim is defunding the police and dismantling the nuclear family, then you should sharpen up your sense of irony.
— Laurence Fox ✌🏼🇬🇧✌🏼 (@LozzaFox) June 6, 2021
Or just do what saint Gary, the moral supremacist says. Boo https://t.co/BNJIDUig6C
Calls to change the capital’s name to “Sterlingrad” is in reference to the Battle of Stalingard during the Second World War between 1942-3.
The city was changed from Tsaritsyn to Stalingrad in 1925, in honour of Joseph Stalin - the General Secretary of the Communist Party.
Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of Stalingrad (now Volgograd), a city in Southern Russia.
With over 2 million casualties estimated, it’s described as one of the most bloodiest battles in the history of warfare, according to History.com.
Ultimately, the battle resulted in a victory for the Soviet Union.
Since its creation, the petition has been widely shared online, as the news about it was shared on Twitter.
🚨⚽️ | NEW: A petition has been launched to Rename "London" "Sterlingrad" if England win the euros.
— News For All (@NewsForAllUK) July 8, 2021
The Communist Party of Britain backed the calls to rename London “Sterlingrad.”
Sign the petition to Rename “London” “Sterlingrad” if England win the euros.
— Communist Party ☭ (@CPBritain) July 8, 2021
To honour Raheem Sterling and the success of the England team since they adopted Marxism 😉🏴 https://t.co/lIuFa4PIrP
Some people are more than happy to back the cause.
Backing the rename London Sterlingrad petition if only to guarantee making football Twitter cry
— Jamie Cooper (@withheldSA) July 9, 2021
The rename London to “Sterlingrad” is the only good petition ever
— gary cheeseman the sniper’s dream (@_JimRD) July 9, 2021
It’s what Karl Marx would’ve wanted. Rename London "Sterlingrad" if England win the euros. - Sign the Petition! https://t.co/UKuDrXhLNU via @UKChange
— drooan (@Drooan) July 8, 2021
could be the most important petition you’ll ever sign so get on it……. Sadiq Khan: Rename "London" "Sterlingrad" if England win the euros. - Sign the Petition! https://t.co/gWPRL5lgQX via @UKChange
— tabbie (@tabbieom) July 8, 2021
Country’s gone mad .. and I’m all for it https://t.co/QpXlfQlLpY
— Tyron Lee Morriss 🏴🏴 (@Tyronlee07) July 8, 2021
Though some weren’t so impressed with the potential name change and made their feelings known about it.
— Conscious Caracal 🇿🇦 (@ConCaracal) July 8, 2021
i'd rather us lose the final then saying i gew up in sterlingrad
— Sajad (@cfc_sajad) July 8, 2021
Same type of people who think Boaty McBoatface was funny and call people Cockwombles
— Jord H (@jordanmh93) July 8, 2021
Let’s not do this. https://t.co/2kjt0Gh5wg
— AFCVegan (@AFCBeef) July 8, 2021
https://t.co/1FcxUMQj5m pic.twitter.com/mFfenGDCL4
— Mark Lacey (@_mlacey93) July 8, 2021
Some argued that Sterling might feel uncomfortable with people associating him with Stalin and a battle that resulted in millions of deaths on both sides.
Joke or not, I can't imagine Sterling would want his name being linked to somebody who killed millions of people.#Sterlingrad
— Middleton 1878 💙 (@Middleton2010) July 9, 2021
Right, my knowledge of history is limited. And I get that this is meant to be a joke. But a Stalin parallel? Did no one think this through??? https://t.co/5web2D3AM1
— Anonymous | Kittens Era (@virtuallyyreal) July 8, 2021
While others saw the funny side to the suggestion.
This is genuinely funny and a few head will explode believing it is true. This must be shared! #Sterlingrad #Marxism #taketheknee #Brexit #Euro2020 https://t.co/rdexZa8BqU
— Jack Reynard (@pokerknave) July 9, 2021
wheezing with laughter pic.twitter.com/oC9tXFmU3D
— Light and Ewa-meral Things (@EwaSR) July 8, 2021
Screaming https://t.co/vMiv7b51l7
— Nadine Batchelor-Hunt 🦁🦁🦁 (@nadinebh_) July 8, 2021
https://t.co/DnfB4qbar8 pic.twitter.com/FKVFEcU4zQ
— Dylan🇦🇺🇳🇴 (@McfcDylan2019) July 8, 2021
😂😂🤣nah this is hilarious, people have just completely ignored the historical context https://t.co/CXHvQF86wb
— Tre Sterling 🇯🇲 (@tre_ID) July 9, 2021
England plays Italy in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday at Wembley Stadium, its the first time in 55 years that the England men’s football team has reached a tournament final.
