Scots would back those who subject football players to racist abuse being punished with a permanent match ban, according to a new poll.
The UK’s leading anti-fascism and anti-racism campaign group, Hope Not Hate, released new research into racism in football.
Across the UK, three out of four people (72%) said that racism is a serious problem in football.
Meanwhile, 73% of Scottish respondents to a poll by the group said they would back a permanent ban from football grounds for people abusing players.
Fans back punishments for racist abuse of football players
Just 3% said anyone racially abusing players should be left alone for free speech reasons, according to the research.
Tougher action by social media companies was also widely supported, with 62% of Scots saying those who abuse footballers should be permanently banned.
Some 14% said they should be permanently banned, with 12% saying those responsible could be offered an anti-racism course as an alternative to a ban.
Scottish views on racism in football
Over 200 Scots responded to the poll, which measured views from across the UK.
It also revealed 59% of people in the UK, and 60% in Scotland, thought Prime Minister Boris Johnson and home secretary Priti Patel had been wrong say fans should be allowed to boo players taking the knee.
This included 50% of respondents who said they vote Conservative.
The poll of 1,512 people by Focaldata showed 62% supported footballers’ involvement in social issues.
The poll results were released to coincide with the launch of a new publication by Hope Not Hate.
Heroes of the Terraces: Football, Anti-fascism and Protest charts how football fans have historically used the terraces to oppose fascism, racism and hate.
In the publication, Shaista Aziz, a journalist, writer and anti-racism campaigner recounts the morning after the Euros 2020 final.
Alongside her friends, she set up a petition calling on the government and the Football Association (FA) to work together to ban racists from football for life.
Shaista said: “Calling ourselves #TheThreeHijabis, riffing off the Three Lions, our anti-racism campaign went viral and within 48 hours of our petition being launched one million plus people signed up to create an anti-racism movement.
“We’ve reclaimed the narrative.
“For football to become truly anti-racist and a game that is safe for all minorities and communities everywhere, we need to build the anti-racism movement we’ve collectively and organically started through the beautiful game”.
We need to celebrate the heroes of the terraces who have been fighting racism and hate now, and over the course of history
Nick Lowles, CEO of Hope Not Hate, said: “While it is a sad reality that there are people who would abuse fans, teams or players, we also need to celebrate the heroes of the terraces who have been fighting racism and hate now, and over the course of history.”
Lowles, the author of several books on hooliganism in football, added: “Our polling shows that there is lots to celebrate as the success of Gareth Southgate and the England team in highlighting these issues has created a rallying cry against racism in football, and cemented people’s beliefs that more needs to be done to tackle the problem.
“Empowering stories like Shaista’s show us that given the opportunity, people will come together to acknowledge that we will refuse to accept racism in football as a society, and that we expect there to be consequences for the people who turn a beloved national sport into a cause for hate.
“By releasing Heroes of the Terraces, we are showing the world that this is not a standalone moment, but that there is a rich history of antiracism in football across the world”.
Heroes of the Terraces: Football, Anti-fascism and Protest will be available for purchase later this week.