Racists target Hamilton
JOHNSON WARNS OF ACTION AS TROLLS ATTACK SPORTS STARS
LEWIS HAMILTON was the victim of “multiple instances of racist abuse on social media” during and after his controversial win in the British Grand Prix, according to a joint statement on Monday (19) by Formula One, the FIA and his Mercedes team.
The seven-time world champion was involved early on in an incident that saw championship leader Max Verstappen plough his Red Bull into a wall and out of the race. Hamilton was hit by a 10 second penalty but went on to win the race and close the gap in the title race to just eight points.
“During, and after, yesterday’s British Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton was subjected to multiple instances of racist abuse on social media following an in-race collision,” they said in a joint statement condemning the behaviour “in the strongest possible terms”.
“These people have no place in our sport and we urge that those responsible should be held accountable for their actions.
“Formula 1, the FIA, the drivers and the teams are working to build a more diverse and inclusive sport, and such unacceptable instances of online abuse must be highlighted and eliminated.”
Last week, prime minister Boris Johnson said laws banning football hooligans in England from attending matches will be extended to target those responsible for racially abusing players on social media.
“What we’re doing is today taking practical steps to ensure that the football banning order regime is changed, so that if you are guilty... of racist abuse online of footballers then you will not be going to the match,” he told MPs.
The banning orders, created in 1989 to stop known English hooligans causing trouble at and around domestic and overseas matches, are managed by the Football Banning Orders Authority.
Responding to an urgent question on the issue in parliament, junior Home Office minister Victoria Atkins – whose department is responsible for the unit – conceded using the orders to tackle the trolls, who are often overseas, would be “complex”.
“But we want very much to work with football clubs and others to ensure these orders have the powers that we all want them to have,” she added.
Greater Manchester Police in northwest England said a 37-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of an offence under the Malicious Communications Act after social media posts directed at England players.
The offence carries penalties of a maximum twoyear prison sentence and/or an unlimited fine.
The government is under growing pressure to act on the issue, with an online petition launched last Monday demanding lifelong bans from games for those guilty of racist abuse – online or offline – attracting more than a million signatories.
Johnson met representatives from the leading social media companies last Tuesday (13) in what he said was part of a concerted approach to tackle the problem. “Unless they get hate and racism off their platforms, they will face fines amounting to 10 percent of their global revenues, and we all know they have the technology to do it,” he said, referring to the government’s planned “online harms bill.”
Johnson noted he had held the initial discussions with Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram.But opposition politicians branded the moves as too little, too late while attacking Johnson’s own record on race as a columnist.