The events over the past week following the appalling stabbings in Southport in which three young girls were killed have been disturbing and sickening to witness.
Fuelled by lies, false narratives and dog whistle racism, far-right thugs and mindless idiots hell-bent on gratuitous violence and vandalism have wrecked and smashed up towns and cities across the country. The scenes of destruction and targeting of people due to their ethnicity that have been seen in Hull, Stoke, Manchester and Rotherham have been terrifying, but for many of us, perhaps the incidents in Hartlepool and Sunderland have felt particularly close to home.
Putting aside all Footballing rivalries for a moment, I’m sure that as Geordies and Newcastle United supporters, most of us know that the majority of Mackems and Sunderland supporters are decent people who do not deserve to have been subjected to the disgusting vandalism that occurred. The images of many Mackems turning up in the aftermath the following morning to clean up the mess and restore the pride they have in their town tells as much.
Lists of future planned ‘protests’ by the far right have circulated on social media with one at Grey’s Monument in Newcastle earmarked for next Saturday. This has caused concern not only due to the potential for the unrest witnessed elsewhere to be repeated in our city, but also with the Sela Cup doubleheader at St James’ Park with Newcastle’s mens and womens teams hosting Stade Brestois and AC Milan respectively.
Whilst Friday night’s friendly against Girona does not appear to be in doubt, some have questioned whether the games on Saturday should go ahead given the proximity of St James’ Park to the rumoured protests expected that day. In light of this, there’s been calls for Newcastle to act if any fan or season-ticket holder is found to be engaging in any social disorder over the weekend, with some talk of bans being handed out to any offenders.
There are those who are of the opinion that those involved in football, (be they players, managers, pundits or clubs) should stick to football. However, football clubs have always, from the earliest days of the game, been routed in their communities. For Newcastle as a one team city, there has always been a very strong emotional connection.
For many Geordies, their love and pride for Newcastle United and for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne are two sides of the same coin. It is not only the team of the city itself but also of the wider region. It commands support from across the North East. Geordies, Northumbrians, North Easterners in general are welcoming and friendly. Yet there are racist yobs who debase and disgrace us as a city and as a region. If the club is to take such a strong line then it is to be applauded in standing up in support of our beautiful city and proud region.
All three clubs have been in touch with respective legal teams this weekend and keen to send a message of support to their communities in prohibiting violent / abusive offenders into their grounds. Newcastle “very keen to send message”. A bold move. More to follow. Liam 2/2.
— Liam Cello (@mrliamcello) August 4, 2024
The riots will soon stop when the footys back on and the weather gets a bit cooler.
Harry Worth(Quote)
The problem will be **** heads from outside the area with their divisive agenda coming to Newcastle to stir up tensions. Don’t listen to their propaganda remember we are Newcastle we are United.
Peanuts(Quote)
These are not working-class heroes, protesting against poverty and injustice. These are thugs, violently looting city centres driven by traitors, Farage, Anderson and Robinson, who, whilst not even UK residents, seek to create the conditions for Far Right tyranny by spreading hate and encouraging violence. These are private school toffs seeking personal gain at the expense of the people of this country. Even Reform is a Ltd company, not a political party. The sooner the laws on hate speech are applied to politicians and jail sentences applied to those who claim parliamentary privilege the better.
PremAndUp(Quote)
There is a large grooming gang operating less than 1 mile from St James Park, on Arthur’s hill in the Stanhope street area. Police ignore it and allow little girls to be abused, now the locals have stepped up to prevent it because the pigs won’t and the premier league wants to assist in locking them up.
Disgraceful behaviour by a pathetic league and pathetic police force.
Also, did Huw Edward’s write this article?
Rolf Harris(Quote)
I don’t agree with rioting, looting, and vandalism. Especially not of your own town, area which seems like the most counterproductive thing imaginable, but the PL and clubs shouldn’t get involved to this level. Much like with that case of the women with the social media posts critical of trans ideology, anything that doesn’t happen inside or in the immediate surrounding area of the St. James has nothing to do with the club. Now if a fan wearing a Newcastle shirt is seen carrying out actual criminal behavior, as opposed to just being at a protest, then we might have some grounds for a discussion given they’d be bringing the club into disrepute with such behavior.
Kevin McLaughlin(Quote)
😂 Oh yes, let’s combat “far right tyranny” by introducing far left tyranny by locking up politicians for saying things you don’t like. Fecking political genius over here.
Kevin McLaughlin(Quote)
Things you don’t like? Mate, it’s instigating violence against people because of the colour of their skin or religion, both of which are criminal offences. Not to mention the collateral that comes from it.
I’m from Hartlepool, not too far from where the “protest” happened, a little family run butchers which has been going for over 15 years had all their windows smashed, it’s just yobs looking to break the law under a thin veil of protest.
In Boro they were stopping cars and only allowing white people through. it’s not a case of making a statement because of the awful thing that happened, but an excuse for racism.
I’m sure most would agree St James would be better off without people like that.
Sean(Quote)
And where have people from reform recommended or instigated such actions. If you don’t directly call for violence in your political rhetoric you can’t be held responsible for the actions of idiots who are fueled far more by social media than anything a Farage, Tice etc have said. It’s also the case that many of the people rioting and looting don’t care about politics are there to loot and riot for the sake of it. Start locking up politicians for things they say which don’t call for violence and destruction, and see how much worse things will get.
Kevin McLaughlin(Quote)
If you think that the hate speech used by Far right politicians has no bearing on the riots then I despair. Yes, the media is a major factor, but then look at their politics as well. I agree that many of the thugs are not politically motivated merely looking for a good fight in the same way that many football hooligans from the 70s had no interest in football.
However, there is no excuse for the actions seen over the weekend or for those supporting or using them.
PremAndUp(Quote)
“Hate speech” is a purposely vague term that can be twisted to mean anything the left, usually, doesn’t like. There are very clear laws about incitement of violence already in place. If you want to incite even more violence go ahead and lock up any Reform politicians who criticises mass migration. As for Reform they’re not “far right” so you’re engaging in inflammatory rhetoric yourself by your standards. And whether an idiot on the street takes criticism of mass migration to mean that they should commit acts of crime is not the responsibility of any politician who does so, again unless they are actually calling for unrest and violence. Saying that they are responsible is catering for the lowest common denominator who have no more grip on context than a child.
Kevin McLaughlin(Quote)
The account being quoted is not a valid source – there’s nothing official about this so far. Hope the clubs do ban anybody involved in the riots, though they should end up in prison anyway!
TommyToon(Quote)
Always said keep politics out of sport and entertainment events but since everyone jumped on it here I’ll say my one bit and leave it at that listen to Nigel Farage properly he is nowhere near the racist bigot people have made him out to be now let’s keep it football
Darren Bebb(Quote)
These aren’t protests, these are attacks on our brothers and sisters of colour. You can’t hold a whole community, race, or otherwise; responsible for the actions of one weak little man who commits heinous acts like this, against children.
Those of you “protesters”, 90% are quite simply racist. The moment you use race or the colour of someone’s skin as an identifier, you are being racist.
This piece of #£*+!! that killed these little girls needs addressing, not those that share his colour, race, religion, or community.
Wake up you small minded fools. You’re destroying OUR cities under the veil of protest. Stupidity at its finest.
Andy Parker(Quote)
Bullshit .. most folk are general public sick of having illegals immigration and its consequences .,with two tier policing.. .. this sort of article appears in the toxic msm everyday and now we have a clown trying to be smart blaming “right wing “ thugs.. ..🤡
Mike(Quote)
Prem and up
Doing the left wing fascist stuff with an IQ of a peanut. Bred on a diet of Bbc narratives and virtue signalling pop tarts .. your part of the problem
Mike(Quote)
This 🤦♂️.
turnip heed(Quote)