Shining a light for tolerance as West Ham tackle racism
SIX CANDLES were lit for Holocaust victims before the West Ham v QPR Premier League game at Upton Park at the weekend.
Survivor Zigi Shipper and West Ham legend and FA director of football development Sir Trevor Brooking were among the participants in the ceremony at the club, whose supporters allegedly made racist and antisemitic chants during the game at Tottenham in November.
Joint West Ham chairman David Sullivan said: “The event is the first in a number of campaigns that we will be supporting throughout the year, all of which aim to highlight and tackle discrimination.
“We included two powerful features in our programme from the Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks and Zigi Shipper, which describe the positive part sport can play in education about prejudice.
“I care passionately about this subject and [co-chairman] David Gold and I will be driving these campaigns forward from the very top of the club.”
In his programme piece, Lord Sacks thanked the club for commemorating HMD.
He wrote that “as we pause to remember the Holocaust, let us each commit ourselves to taking a stand against hate and not sit silent while people are abused for their colour or religion or ethnicity”.
West Ham will also be sending representatives to other local HMD events.