Twitter to have racism talks with Kick It Out after Abraham abuse
The UK sports NGO Kick It Out says it raised concerns with Twitter after Chelsea striker Tammy Abrahams was subjected to racist abuse online.
Twitter has agreed to hold talks with the nonprofit sports organisation to address the racism that surrounds football - a particular problem online - just days after a football player for Chelsea F.C was subjected to a barrage of insults for missing a penalty in a shoot-out with Liverpool on Wednesday (17 June).
The situation is reminiscent of circa 1981, in which Chelsea F.C's first black footballer, Paul Canoville, joined the squad. Canoville was subject to brutal levels of racial abuse and taunting at the hands of both fans from his own football club, as well as other club supporters.
Troy Townsend, a campaigner with the Kick It Out organisation, was the first to ring the alarm bell shortly after the online abuse toward the 21-year-old footballer began.
Pleased, Townsend said: "The fact they have acknowledged communication from us and willing to talk means we open up the conversation. The proof will be in the pudding".
In response, a spokesperson for Twitter stated:" We continue to take action on any action that violates Twitter rules".
In Twitter's defence and making popular news, Katie Hopkins has recently been permanently banned from Twitter over 'hateful content'.
With a range of fellow footballers posting online messages of support for Abraham, Frank Lampard, a former midfielder for Chelsea and now the club's new manager said he felt "disgusted" when he learned about the racist abuse his player had received.
In a time where the Black Lives Matter movement has sparked a united global conscious on racism and racial inequality, triggered by the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer, the abuse hurled towards Abraham is another slap in the face for the black community.
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