Watford launch 'We' anti-discrimination initiative
Thursday 24 October 2019 17:44, UK
Watford have launched a campaign in partnership with Hertfordshire Police to try and combat discrimination and prejudiced behaviour.
The aim of the scheme is to work with the relevant authorities - including Hertfordshire Police Hate Crime Unit - to affect prosecutions and bring offenders to justice.
The top-flight club say they are making their "own stand and not relying on independent campaigning voices to do the reporting for us".
Watford insist their 'We' campaign has not come about because of any frustrations with related campaigns and are intending to work in tandem with other anti-discrimination programmes such as Kick It Out, No Room for Racism and Show Racism the Red Card.
The club are keen to protect against all discrimination (age, disability, race, sex, sexual orientation, religion and belief, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership and pregnancy and maternity).
Watford are eager to help combat discriminatory behaviour within football by providing more evidence, more quickly to police, to assist their work.
The Vicarage Road club want fans to call out offenders using the hashtags #Watford or #BuzzOff on social media, with multiple football-related racist incidents having occurred on online platforms so far this season.
The Hornets have put forward a six-point list of what the 'We' campaign stands for.
- We means everyone; players, ex-players, staff, fans, the local community.
- We will be heard and seen much better if everyone is involved together.
- We can make a difference by being different.
- We want to tackle all forms of hate crime - on all days, not just matchdays.
- We will take all reports seriously and act quickly to get meaningful results.
- We are partnered with the police's Hate Crime team and welcome them today.
The initiative is unveiled after number of racist incidents within English football were reported over the past week.
A Manchester United supporter was banned indefinitely from attending matches after allegedly abusing Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Avon & Somerset Police are meeting with Bristol City to discuss possible new measures for fans to report abuse after alleged racist chanting in the away end during the Robins' 3-0 defeat to Luton Town.
The FA has also ordered that Haringey Borough and Yeovil Town's FA Cup qualifying clash should be replayed after Haringey's players walked off the pitch due to abuse they suffered on Saturday.
Earlier in the year, Watford captain Troy Deeney revealed he and his family were subjected to racist abuse on social media following the Hornets' FA Cup semi-final victory against Wolves.
Sky Sports News has also revealed that 86 per cent of fans who regularly attend matches in the UK have witnessed racist incidents at games.
