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Manchester urged to ‘come together against hate’ ahead of Britain First march in the city this weekend

"Manchester does not welcome Britain First to our city."

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 20th February 2026

Manchester is being urged to ‘come together against hate’ ahead of the Britain First march planned in the city centre this weekend.

Cllr Bev Craig, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council, has addressed the local community directly, asserting Manchester’s core values as a welcoming city with ‘diversity and respect’ at its heart, and reaffirming that the message from the region’s leaders is one of ‘unity’ and togetherness against hatred ‘in all its forms’.

“Manchester does not welcome Britain First to our city because they seek to divide our communities and spread hatred,” Cllr Craig declared.

Founded by anti-abortion campaigner, Britain First is described as being a far-right British fascist and neo-fascist political party and hate group formed in 2011 by members of the former British National Party (BNP).

The party itself, however, states on its own website that it is as a ‘patriotic political party that will put our own people first’.

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In an emphatic statement speaking out against Britain First’s views and their intentions to march through the city centre this weekend, Cllr Bev Craig said: “We understand the alarm and distress that comes when a group like Britain First, which is widely regarded as a far-right hate group, chooses to gather in our city.

“However, UK law protects the right to freedom of expression and assembly, and this means that protests are allowed on the condition they engage fully with the local police force.  

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Cllr Bev Craig
Cllr Bev Craig urges Manchester to ‘come together against hate’ / Credit: Manchester City Council

“GMP have given assurances that they will be policing this protest seriously, robustly and with public safety as their top priority.

“At a time when groups promoting division seek attention, our strength comes from standing united – celebrating our diversity and supporting one another. Let’s come together and send a clear message that hate has no place in our city.”

Cllr Craig closed out her statement declaring that Manchester ‘stands together’.

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“Our unity is stronger than hate and the values that unite us will always hold firm.

“We are a welcoming and friendly city, with a proud history of tolerance, fairness and respect. But the hate and division that Britain First foster has no place here. We have no time for racism or hatred.”

Featured Image – Matthew Waring (via Unsplash)

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Kate Scott praised for impassioned speech following more racism in Champions League

Danny Jones Danny Jones Kate Abdo Scott speech about racism after Vini Jr incident Benfica Real Madrid

Football pundit and sports presenter Kate Scott has been met with plenty of praise for her ‘expert’ handling of the fallout following more racism in the Champions League this week, delivering an emotional and impassioned speech about discrimination live on TV.

The Manchester-born broadcaster, formerly Kate Abdo, was serving as the host on her usual CBS Sports panel on Tuesday, 17 February, when the story of the playoff game between Benfica and Real Madrid – which included a worldie from Vinicius Jr. – was overshadowed by more allegations of racial abuse.

In case you missed it, Argentine player Gianluca Prestianni was accused of making racist remarks by both Vini Jr and Kylian Mbappe, but supposedly covered his mouth so as not to be caught on camera; the match was then stopped for more than 11 minutes.

Speaking in the aftermath amid the following European fixtures the next day, the Withington-schooled journalist and University of Salford graduate delivered an eloquent reaction to the controversy with peak professionalism.

Absolutely pitch perfect, and all those involved in preparing the statement should be applauded.

While Scott herself recognised that it’s a shame we even have to keep talking about issues like these rather than the sheer simplistic beauty of, well, ‘the beautiful game’, her response is an example of the job being done at arguably its very best: factual, ethical, moving and inspiring.

As you can see, Scott goes on to say, “This isn’t Real Madrid versus Benfica – it is right versus wrong. Vini Junior and Kylian Mbappe said that there was repeated racial abuse.

“Gianluca Prestiani said they misheard, but he covered his mouth to hide what he said from the cameras, and hopefully, we can all agree that if what you are saying on a football pitch is shameful enough to have to hide it from the public, then you’re wrong.”

The Portuguese club, which ultimately lost 1-0 in their first leg at home on the night, have released a statement reaffirming their commitment to “equality, respect, and inclusion” but reiterates that they believe Prestiani and feel he is now the subject of a “defamation campaign”.

Conversely, in a definitive and emphatic closing message, she signs off by adding the following: “The racial diversity on a football pitch in the Champions League is the representation of the global love for this game and the global belonging in this game. This is the very spirit of football.

“And if you don’t agree, then respectfully, you are the one who doesn’t belong.”

From CBS ‘Golazo’ show being applauded for tackling the subject head-on, to Cross herself being labelled as everything from “a role model” and “a benchmark” to “the best on the planet” in the outpouring of reactions on social media, it’s fair to say they absolutely nailed it.

Sadly, this is one of many recent examples of prejudice being shared publicly across various UEFA tournaments and beyond in recent years, but the only way we can truly help anti-hate initiatives is by continuing to call them out.

We’re glad big names in football like Kate Scott and Pep Guardiola (who reflected on Sir Jim Rattcliffe’s immigration comments), as well as the wider sporting industry, are standing for what’s right when given the opportunity, but we always need more.

In the words of Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, ‘the only thing more powerful than hate is love’.

You can see the full CBS Sports discussion following the alleged racist incident here.

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Featured Images — CBS Sports Golazo (screenshot via YouTube)

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Manchester United to offer fans FREE coach travel for upcoming away game

Danny Jones Danny Jones Man United offering away fans free coaches for travel to Bournemouth game

Manchester United have offered free coaches to away fans hoping to travel to their game against AFC Bournemouth.

The fixture against The Cherries isn’t here just yet, with four other matches before then – two home and two away – but many supporters have already been fretting about how they’re going to get there.

With a 252-mile trek and what could be upwards of a 10-hour round trip, there and back, the club has informed the travelling ‘Stretford Enders‘ that they will be arranging at least some of the nearly 1,300 members of the fan base to travel down south to the Vitality Stadium.

Although not entirely unheard of, it’s nevertheless been praised as a classy touch and way of recognising some of their most dedicated support year-round, especially after a turbulent few weeks.

Set to be free of charge for anyone with a valid away ticket next month, the gesture will at least make life a little bit easier for Reds heading to the coastal town at the end of an already long working week.

Scheduled to take place at 8pm on 20 March, Bournemouth vs Man United is the late kick-off, but the first of that Premier League round (gameweek 31).

With limited transport options via both public and supporters group networks, they’ve decided to step in and aid those willing to make the journey.

They also seemed to make what some have perceived as a dig at the division, noting that “this fixture follows an unusually high number of games that have been played midweek this season.”

Writing a lengthy statement, they said: “The club, listening to the views raised by supporters in both the Fan Advisory Board and Fans’ Forum, has raised concerns in meetings with senior counterparts at both the Premier League and broadcasters in recent months…

Acknowledging the “impact scheduling decisions have on match-goers and urging them to make earlier decisions”, they are one of many teams that have urged the footballing body to adjust their plans where possible and afford fans extra time to plan.

With both recognised supporters’ trusts and other fan groups alike having played a crucial role in a number of key observances of late, it only feels fitting that they be rewarded for their commitment.

This push to give more consideration to those putting in the hard yards off the pitch also, crucially, includes giving them a longer period to save.

It was only back in January 2025 that a finance expert detailed how, all told, home and away fans can spend upwards of £3,000 supporting their team. Staggering sums.

That being said, director of fan engagement Rick McGagh went on to add: “We believe we have the best and loudest away following in the country, and we wanted to do something for our fans to show we appreciate their dedication and support.

“When games are moved from a weekend to a Friday or Monday night, we know it impacts fans, meaning they often have to take time off work and face more expensive and greatly restricted travel options.

“We continue to work with our FAB and Fans’ Forum reps and share their concerns to broadcasters and the Premier League. We hope this gesture helps our fans travelling down to Bournemouth for the game, and, on behalf of the players and everyone at the club, we thank them for their continued support.”

As an added bonus, they also detailed that besides free coach travel to the far-flung game, those attending the Bournemouth game will also be entered into a raffle to win a United shirt signed by one of the men’s first-team.

While fans must organise their transport to arrive at Old Trafford, with no alternative pick-up or drop-off points, all the details on how to book the free coach travel will be shared with successful applicants, along with confirmation of their place in the away ballot.

Man United release statement after controversy around Jim Ratcliffe comments on immigration

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Featured Images — The Manc Group/Mr Ignavy (via Geograph)

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