86 people have been arrested in connection with a variety of incidents surrounding England’s defeat to Italy in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday (11 July).
Met Police have confirmed that dozens have been apprehended for illegal acts including assault, drunkenness and public order offences.
Nineteen police officers were also injured – with one losing a tooth and another suffering a broken hand.
Footage circulating on social media had shown trouble flaring in and around Wembley ahead of kick-off – with some fans forcing their way into the ground without tickets.
The stadium was operating at a reduced capacity of around 60,000 for the final due to COVID restrictions.
The FA has since pledged to conduct a full review.
We witnessed this and I stepped away just in time. If this is even crossing your mind, don’t. You don’t get far. Please don’t ruin it for everyone at Wembley. pic.twitter.com/CoNx4U4CHb
Morons. Doing their best to ruin what should be a proud night and a great occasion. Kid’s crying, Wembley temporarily shut down. Idiots, every last one of them. #ENG#ITA#EURO2020pic.twitter.com/YuJFWLmQ5Y
An official FA statement said that “the behaviour of the people who illegally forced their way into the stadium was unacceptable, dangerous and showed total disregard for the safety and security protocols in place.”
The statement added: “No steward or security staff should be subjected to this type of behaviour and we thank them for their support on the night. We also apologise to anyone at the match whose experience was affected by this unprecedented level of public disorder.
“We will continue to work with the relevant authorities to identify and take action against these people where possible.”
England lost the major final – which was their first since 1966 – on penalties following a 1-1 draw with Italy.
Aldi becomes first UK supermarket to introduce new ‘£13 rule’ from September
Emily Sergeant
Aldi is set to become the first supermarket to pay staff working in its stores across the UK at least £13 an hour.
The budget supermarket retailer’s new minimum rate – which increases to £14.33 within the M25 – will officially take effect from 1 September 2025, and is set to further exceed the Real Living Wage of £12.60 an hour that was set by the Living Wage Foundation in October last year.
At present, Store Assistants at Aldi are currently paid a minimum of £12.75 an hour nationwide, but that is set to change in the autumn.
As well as the standard £13 hourly rate, Store Assistants’ pay will be subject to further rises depending on their length of service – meaning they’ll get £13.93 nationally, and £14.64 within the M25.
Aldi becomes first UK supermarket to introduce new ‘£13 rule’ from September / Credit: Aldi
The news that Aldi will become the UK’s first supermarket to pay colleagues £13 an hour follows the retailer’s impressive achievement of being named the Employer of the Year at The Grocer Gold Awards – where it was recognised for its competitive pay, investment in training, and its focus on diversity and inclusion.
Aldi is also the only retailer to offer all colleagues paid breaks too, on top of their hourly rate or salary, which is worth approximately £1,385 a year for the average store colleague.
“Our people are the driving force behind our success across the UK,” commented Giles Hurley, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Aldi UK and Ireland.
“This latest investment in pay is a reflection of their hard work and the incredible contribution they make every single day.
“We’re proud to remain the UK’s highest-paying supermarket and will continue to support our colleagues in every way we can.”
Featured Image – Aldi
News
Stockport County issue statement condemning ‘deeply concerning imagery’ featuring club crest
Danny Jones
Stockport County have issued a statement addressing inappropriate and divisive political imagery featuring the club crest recently shared online.
The Greater Manchester side was alerted to the situation this week and quickly released a decisive comment condemning the content that appeared on social media.
Updating the fan base on Monday afternoon, 29 July, the League One team shared the important and well-received response across their official channels, reminding their fan base that not only are they a non-political entity but that the beautiful game is for everyone.
It reads as follows: “Stockport County has been made aware of instances where our club crest has been used without permission on political propaganda, including deeply concerning imagery that promotes hate and division, such as the unauthorised display of our crest alongside anti-LGBTQ+ symbols.
“We want to be unequivocally clear: Stockport County Football Club is, and always will be, a politically neutral organisation. We do not endorse, support, or affiliate with any political party, candidate [referring to one specific individual in this instance], or ideology.
“Our club crest is a registered trademark and a symbol of unity, community, and the collective passion for football at Edgeley Park.
“It represents all our fans, staff, players, and the wider Stockport community, regardless of their individual political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, religion, or any other characteristic.”
They assure that the club, which is made up of all kinds of ethnicities, genders and sexualities, is “no place for hate, discrimination, or exclusion of any kind at Edgeley Park or within our community“, adding that they are “committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome and safe.”
For context, below you’ll find just one example of the unsanctioned and potentially inflammatory iconography exposed via Facebook marketplace, which features the Stockport County badge alongside an image of former UKIP leader and Reform UK MP, Nigel Farage.
The statement goes on to reinforce that “any unauthorised use of our crest, particularly in a political or hateful context, is a misuse of our intellectual property and fundamentally goes against the inclusive values we uphold.”
“We will take all necessary steps, including legal action where appropriate, to prevent such unauthorised use of our club crest and protect our brand integrity.”
They sign off by stating, simply: “We urge all supporters to respect the Club’s neutrality and help us maintain an environment where everyone feels welcome and united by their love for County.”
On the upside, the defiant Stockport County stance was met with plenty of praise and support, with Hatters and football lovers in general commenting, “My community club”, “Not a fan but well done county”, “Keep politics out of football, especially that lot. Top club statement”, just to quote a few replies.
SCFC seem to be getting lots of things right at the moment.