White lives have always mattered: Rev Al Sharpton responds to furore over football stadium banner

Civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton has offered a searing rebuttal to supporters of the slogan “White Lives Matter”.

The US Baptist minister, who delivered the eulogy at George Floyd's, funeral appeared on Good Morning Britain days after a high profile stunt which saw the words flown over a football stadium.

The banner soared over Burnley’s football pitch just moments after players had taken the knee in support of the anti-racism Black Lives Matter movement.

Asked by host Piers Morgan for the “correct response” to anyone claiming “white lives matter, all lives matter, too”, Rev Sharpton, 65, said that has always been “a given.”

“There’s never been any argument that white lives matter, there’s never been any debate,” he explained.

“And when a white life is taken, it is litigated, prosecuted and, if convicted, incarcerated.”

The minister continued: “The problem is it has not been equal on the other side, so there’s been no equal need to say white lives matter – that has been a given and the system has worked that way.

“It has not worked that way around black lives.

“So we’re not saying black lives matter more - we’re saying black lives matter as much, equally and should be treated the same.”

“White Lives Matter” and “All Lives Matter” are now widely condemned as mottos owing to their association with right wing movements seeking to downplay the scourge of racism.

Following the Burnley stadium banner stunt, the football club issued a strong statement saying the perpetrators would be banned for life if identified.

In response to the incident, Burnley’s fans created a fundraiser for the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, with organiser Lee Briggs, 33, a lifelong Clarets supporter, saying he felt embarrassed by his club being associated with the banner’s “racist language”.

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Rev Sharpton, a former US presidential candidate, talk show host and politician has long campaigned for the rights of African-Americans.

On June 9, he delivered a powerful speech at Mr Floyd's funeral in Texas, calling the young father's death "not just a tragedy" but "a crime".

The 65-year-old praised those stepping out in protest following the death of the unarmed black man at the hands of a white officer in the US city of Minneapolis.

Hailing the work of BLM activists, he told mourners: “All over the world I’ve seen grandchildren of slave masters tearing down slave master statues.

"All over the world, George, they're marching with your name.

"You've touched the world in South Africa, you've touched the world in England, you've touched every one of the 50 states. Even in a pandemic, people are walking out in the streets."

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