Liverpool FC deletes Rosh Hashanah tweet following anti-Semitic abuse
English Premier League club criticized for 'pandering to racists' after removing a tweet wishing Jews a happy new year.
A tweet posted by English football club Liverpool FC wishing its Jewish supports a happy Rosh Hashanah has been deleted after the club's official account was bombarded with anti-Semitic messages, The Guardian reported on Friday.
The tweet read:
The message was met with harsh responses referencing Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust.
HEIL HITLER @LFC
— Zak (@ImtiazZakiy) September 25, 2014
@LFC
viva hitler !! **** jews
— #Gaza iKoora (@iKooora_) September 26, 2014
“@LFC:
Liverpool FC would like to wish all our Jewish supporters around the world a happy new year. #RoshHashanah”
Gas them
— JEY (@Rooney_LFC) September 25, 2014
After receiving a number of complaints about the anti-Semitic responses that followed the club's tweet, Kick It Out, an organization promoting equality and inclusion in football, reported the abuse to the club's management and to the police's online reporting facility.
"It is encouraging that a football club recognizes these holidays and religious landmarks – Liverpool did the same for Ramadan – but extremely sad when a club does that in a proactive manner and gets these responses. Premier League clubs appeal to supporters around the world and it would have been nice for Liverpool’s Jewish supporters to see this message from their club, that’s the bigger issue. It should be welcomed that clubs are doing this is in a proactive manner," a spokesman for Kick It Out told The Guardian.
Liverpool FC decided to remove the tweet, arousing anger among its followers, who accused the club of pandering to racists.
@LFCZA
you seen @LFC
sent Jewish NY greetings. Was met with barrage of racism & now tweet deleted. Easy to pander to racists. Not good
— Raphi Bloom (@rafjb69) September 26, 2014
@LFC
@LFC_Arabic
@Officiallfc_id
@PakistanLFC
@MalaysiaLFC
Why did you take off the Happy Jewish New Year tweet? Did you let racism win?
— Joel Kleinberg (@Joelinhorito) September 26, 2014
@LFC
When you deleted this you did not only turn back against Millions of Jewish fans, but also against the Israelis WHO PLAYED for the club
— Your Savior (@Gilli_Parann) September 26, 2014
A spokesman for the club was quoted by the Guardian as saying that "Due to a number of offensive comments that were attached to a tweet on the official LFC twitter account, the tweet and comments have since been removed from the account."
