Whether they helped bring down Jose Mourinho, marched against their club’s owner or pushed back against plans to commercialize their sport, fans have a long history of using football as a platform for protest. These fan protest stories remind us that football fan activism is more than a passing fad and remains a powerful tool in the fight for change.
Thousands of West Ham supporters took to the streets ahead of their home Premier League match against Crystal Palace. The disgruntled fans, organised by fan group Hammers United, gathered outside the London Stadium to call for chairman David Sullivan and vice-chairman Karren Brady to step down. Banners and flags bore messages including “just resign” and “sold a dream, living a nightmare”.
On the day that Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund 3-1 in the German Cup, Dortmund’s traveling supporters threw tennis balls onto the pitch at halftime to protest against ticket prices. Upset by a PS64 price tag for away tickets, the fans boycotted the first 20 minutes of the game and later threw the tennis balls into the stadium’s empty seats.
Often news media coverage of protests portrays underrepresented groups negatively. To help journalists avoid this trap, we recommend they focus on framing stories that promote positive attitudes toward the people participating in the protest. This includes writing about their personality, hobbies and family to humanize them and make readers feel more connected with them. In addition, it is important to highlight the message behind their protest and how they are addressing it.