London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 01, 2025

Marcus Rashford: Hundreds gather at mural for anti-racism demo

Marcus Rashford: Hundreds gather at mural for anti-racism demo

England star Marcus Rashford has said hundreds of people gathering for an anti-racism demonstration at a mural of him has left him "lost for words".

The work in Withington, where Rashford grew up, was defaced after England lost in the Euro 2020 final, but has been repainted and covered in messages.

People took the knee at the Stand Up to Racism demo at 18:00 BST and speakers addressed the 700-strong crowd.

The Manchester United forward said he was "overwhelmed" by the response.

Felicité Sora said young black footballers in France had faced similar abuse

Karen Reismann, 61, who was fined £10,000 for breaching Covid rules during an NHS pay protest, said: "We all know [that these people think] if they win they are English, if they lose they are black."

Felicite Sora, 35, came to the demo with her five-year-old son Ruben.

The NHS worker, who moved to Manchester from Paris six years ago, said she had seen "the same hate directed when Kylian Mbappe missed the penalty for France on social media".

"It was the same issue for very young black players in France," she said.

"It's important to support these young people [and] it's important that my son understands he is a beautiful young man whatever happens, like Rashford and Sancho and Saka."


A girl who addressed the crowd said she admired Rashford for having the bravery to take a penalty in the shootout at the end of the final.

"I'm not mad at him," she said.

"I'm just so proud of how he tried."

People took the knee as the demo started in Withington
Karen Reismann, who was fined £10,000 for breaching Covid rules during an NHS pay protest, addressed the crowd
Police posted an appeal for witnesses among the messages of support

The mural was defaced with several swear words shortly after Rashford missed a penalty, along with Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, in the 3-2 shootout loss to Italy on Sunday.

All three players have since been targeted with racist abuse on social media.

Greater Manchester Police said it was investigating a report of racially aggravated damage to the mural and a social media post which was directed at Rashford, Sancho and Saka.

Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes condemned the racist abuse and "vile behaviour" which has directed towards the England players.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to hold a meeting with social media firms regarding taking tougher action over racism.

Withington Walls co-founder Ed Wellard, who commissioned the artwork, said those responsible for the vandalism should be educated rather than punished.

A crowdfunding page for the mural has now raised more than £34,000, which Mr Wellard said would be used to fund further pieces.

At the scene

Rumeana Jahangir, BBC News Online

One of the speakers said the rally in a small side street was "unorthodox".

The area between the more well-known suburbs of Moss Side and Didsbury does not normally attract much attention, but it has become the focus of love for its most famous son.

Parents, children, pastors and even a woman in a Scotland shirt turned out to show vocal support for Rashford and the wider black community.

In the 48 hours since Sunday's game, there has been a rollercoaster of emotions locally as the initial anger and upset turned into hope, defiance and love.



Rashford mural tributes: 'Something beautiful out of something negative'


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
×