A Conservative MP has described Black Lives Matter movement as “divisive” and said “most people don’t naturally see skin colour as a defining characteristic”.
Ben Bradley said he had written to the Premier League to complain about the decision to put the logo on the back of footballers’ shirts in support of racial equality following mass protests over the the death of George Floyd.
All Premier League clubs replaced footballers’ names with the slogan during the first round of fixtures, with players and officials taking the knee to show their support for the cause.
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In a piece on his website, the Mansfield MP said he understood clubs were trying to take a stance against racism, which was supported by the vast majority of the public.
However Mr Bradley added: “The point I made though is that whilst what they are trying to achieve is very positive and laudable, what they will actually achieve by choosing to support ‘Black Lives Matter’ is to increase and further entrench division.
“When you start to push everyone to identify themselves by the colour of their skin, that is not a good thing!
“When you start to single out characteristics that divide you from others, you create an equal and opposite reaction.
“A rise of the far left will create a reactive rise of the far right, and the whole debate is then characterised by those extremes rather than understanding the vast majority of normal people caught in the middle.
“Most of whom in my experience support a strong stance against racism, but don’t support the divisive politics that comes with this campaign.
“Most people don’t naturally see skin colour as a defining characteristic.”
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An aerial photo made with a drone shows a large group gathered in Union Park to protest the arrest of George Floyd, who later died in police custody, in Chicago, Illinois
EPA
2/21
A large group marching and chanting in Chicago, Illinois
EPA/Tannen Maury
3/21
Protesters gather along the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum and Eakins Oval during a protest
AP
4/21
Demonstrators try to block a freeway during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York
REUTERS
5/21
Thousands of demonstrators march across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California
REUTERS
6/21
Demonstrators gather at Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington
REUTERS
7/21
Demonstrators march down Flatbush Avenue toward the Manhattan Bridge chanting slogans
REUTERS
8/21
Protesters take part in a demonstration to protest in support of the George Floyd protests in the United States, and also to commemorate a similar circumstance in France when Adama Traore, a 24-year-old Frenchman was killed in 2016 by police, during an rally in Champ de Mars next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris
EPA
9/21
Demonstrators attend a protest in Berlin, Germany
FABRIZIO BENSCH/REUTERS
10/21
Demonstrators protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Sydney
RON SHAMGAR via REUTERS
11/21
Demonstrators attend a Black Lives Matter protest to express solidarity with US protestors in Sydney
AFP via Getty Images
12/21
People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Manchester Piccadilly Gardens, UK
PA
13/21
People wearing masks hold placards during a protest march over the alleged police abuse of a Turkish man, in echoes of a Black Lives Matter protest, following the death of George Floyd who died in police custody in Minneapolis, in Tokyo
REUTERS/Issei Kato
14/21
Demonstrators attend a protest against police brutality in Frankfurt
REUTERS
15/21
Demonstrators attend a protest against police brutality at Alexanderplatz in Berlin, Germany
REUTERS
16/21
People stand in silence for eight minutes and 46 seconds in tribute to George Floyd during a protest against racism and police brutality in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Getty Images
17/21
Thousands of people demonstrate in Cologne, Germany
AP
18/21
Demonstrators hold placards as they attend a protest march to the US Embassy in London
AFP via Getty Images
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Demonstrators cross the River Thames via Vauxhall Bridge as they march to protest outside the US Embassy in London
AFP via Getty Images
20/21
Demonstrators gather for a protest against racism and police violence in Lisbon
AP
21/21
Boxer Anthony Joshua is seen on crutches with demonstrators in Watford, Britain
REUTERS
1/21
An aerial photo made with a drone shows a large group gathered in Union Park to protest the arrest of George Floyd, who later died in police custody, in Chicago, Illinois
EPA
2/21
A large group marching and chanting in Chicago, Illinois
EPA/Tannen Maury
3/21
Protesters gather along the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum and Eakins Oval during a protest
AP
4/21
Demonstrators try to block a freeway during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York
REUTERS
5/21
Thousands of demonstrators march across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California
REUTERS
6/21
Demonstrators gather at Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington
REUTERS
7/21
Demonstrators march down Flatbush Avenue toward the Manhattan Bridge chanting slogans
REUTERS
8/21
Protesters take part in a demonstration to protest in support of the George Floyd protests in the United States, and also to commemorate a similar circumstance in France when Adama Traore, a 24-year-old Frenchman was killed in 2016 by police, during an rally in Champ de Mars next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris
EPA
9/21
Demonstrators attend a protest in Berlin, Germany
FABRIZIO BENSCH/REUTERS
10/21
Demonstrators protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Sydney
RON SHAMGAR via REUTERS
11/21
Demonstrators attend a Black Lives Matter protest to express solidarity with US protestors in Sydney
AFP via Getty Images
12/21
People take part in a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Manchester Piccadilly Gardens, UK
PA
13/21
People wearing masks hold placards during a protest march over the alleged police abuse of a Turkish man, in echoes of a Black Lives Matter protest, following the death of George Floyd who died in police custody in Minneapolis, in Tokyo
REUTERS/Issei Kato
14/21
Demonstrators attend a protest against police brutality in Frankfurt
REUTERS
15/21
Demonstrators attend a protest against police brutality at Alexanderplatz in Berlin, Germany
REUTERS
16/21
People stand in silence for eight minutes and 46 seconds in tribute to George Floyd during a protest against racism and police brutality in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Getty Images
17/21
Thousands of people demonstrate in Cologne, Germany
AP
18/21
Demonstrators hold placards as they attend a protest march to the US Embassy in London
AFP via Getty Images
19/21
Demonstrators cross the River Thames via Vauxhall Bridge as they march to protest outside the US Embassy in London
AFP via Getty Images
20/21
Demonstrators gather for a protest against racism and police violence in Lisbon
AP
21/21
Boxer Anthony Joshua is seen on crutches with demonstrators in Watford, Britain
REUTERS
Mr Bradley also argued that phrases like “All Lives Matter” and “White Lives Matter” should not be regarded as racist, adding: “Many people will question why it’s ok to say Black Lives Matter, but White Lives Matter is something to be ashamed of
However he said the “White Lives Matter” banner flown over Burnley stadium on Monday was “deeply unhelpful”.
The club said it strongly condemned the “offensive” banner and those responsible were not welcome at its ground.
