News
Petition to ‘ban racists’ from football for life nears 1 million signatures
"Our England team stood up for all of us - now we must stand up for them."
A petition has surfaced online calling for a lifetime ban for all racists from football matches in England.
At almost 1 million signatures, it's already near to becoming one of the most-signed petitions on Change.org.
Clearly, its message has struck a chord with the nation following an increase in racist abuse against both players and civilians following England's loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday night.
After Luke Shaw scored an early goal for the English team just 1 minute and 37 seconds into the match, play slowed with Italy clawing it back to a draw in the second half before ultimately the game went to penalties.
Youngsters Bukayo Saka, 19, Marcus Rashford, 23, and Jadon Sancho, 21, were all put up to take shots - but all three sadly missed.
This agonising loss on penalties led to an outpouring of grief from football supporters online. In a number of abhorrent and inexcusable instances, it also led to a number of racially motivated attacks that were carried out both online and in person.
The FA has condemned the "disgusting" behaviour, saying they will do "all we can to support the players affected". It also added it would push for the "toughest punishments possible" for anyone responsible.
A number of official figures, including members of the government like Priti Patel and Boris Johnson, also made statements condemning the racist behaviour of fans.
However, some have suggested that previous comments by top Conservative politicians in the lead up to the final - particularly those that refused to condemn the booing of footballers taking the knee, branding the move "gesture politics" - had "stoked the flames" of tension in the country ahead of the final.
On Monday 12, Labour's Angela Rayner pointed the finger at top Tories who stoked division over the knee protest - replying to a tweet from Ms. Patel after the Home Secretary took to Twitter to claim she was "disgusted that England players who have given so much for our country this summer have been subject to vile racist abuse on social media".
"Let me be clear. The Prime Minister and the Home Secretary gave license to the racists who booed the England players and are now racially abusing England players," replied Rayner.
"Boris Johnson and Priti Patel are like arsonists complaining about a fire they poured petrol on. Total hypocrites."
The Change.org petition, entitled ‘Ban racists for life from all football matches in England’, was set up by anti-racism campaigner Shaista Aziz and her friends under the name of the Three Hijabis.
Directed at Boris Johnson and his Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, the petition states:
"After last night’s match, vile racist abuse was directed at our heroic players Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho. Minutes after the final whistle of the Euro final, The Football Association issued a statement which said: “We could not be clearer that anyone behind such disgusting behaviour is not welcome in following the team.
"We will do all we can to support the players affected while urging the toughest punishments possible for anyone responsible.
"As multi-racial football fans, we finally feel represented by this anti-racist and inclusive England team. We could not be more proud or inspired by our magnificent team and by their talent, bravery, leadership and love for all. Gareth Southgate’s England team plays for ALL of us.
"Their vision is an inclusive vision and this matters more than EVER - it’s why we feel proud of this team and why they’re so cherished and loved by many of us. There should be no room for racists and bigotry in football or society.
"We are calling for the Football Association and the government to work together now to ban all those who have carried out racist abuse, online or offline, from all football matches in England for life.
"Our England team stood up for all of us - now we must stand up for them."
At the time of writing the petition is currently at 891,840 signatures. To add yours and show your support, click here.
News
Everything you need to know about the Government’s new digital ID alternative for alcohol sales
Emily Sergeant
Licensed venues across England and Wales now have the choice to be able introduce digital proof of age for alcohol sales alongside physical.
Instead of having to hand over physical ID that contains personal information, such as names and home addresses, customers now have the choice to simply provide confirmation that they are 18 or over on their phone - helping to better protect privacy and personal safety in the process.
This means that, no matter whether you're buying a drink at your favourite pub, heading to a festival, or enjoying a night out at a concert, you won’t need to worry if you've left your ID at home.
According to the Government, this new change will benefit businesses greatly too, as certified digital services are able to check that an ID is genuine and belongs to the person presenting it much easier than the alternative can, which therefore helps to reduce the risk of any fake or borrowed IDs going undetected.
So, how will it work then?
Well, according to the Government, it could be as simple as a customer showing a QR code for staff to scan, or tapping their phone against a compatible reader, where staff will then receive a clear confirmation on their device that the customer has passed the age check.
This change follows a 2024 Government consultation where it was reported that 72% of respondents supported the use of digital identities for age verification when buying alcohol.
Digital Government Minister Stephanie Peacock reiterated that 'it will remain an individual or business’ choice whether to use or adopt [digital ID]' and that physical ID will 'still remain a valid way' for customers to prove their age.
"This groundbreaking change in the law will mean you do not need to carry a physical ID, nor hand over sensitive personal information such as your name or address just to prove your age, allowing everyone to feel safer on a night out," she concluded.
Featured Image - Swam Tavern
News
The Leeds Cinema Crawl is back with music-themed films across three different independent venues
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Letterboxd can expect to hear from you after this trifecta.
The Leeds Cinema Crawl is a unique experience, aiming to bring like-minded film buffs together, for a full day of cinematic fun.
Whether you simply love film, you are a The Beatles super-fan or punk-rock is more your thing, this year's theme is The Beat Goes On, so all selected films centre around the celebration of music, rhythm and performance.
While fancy dress is not essential, guests are encouraged to fully immerse themselves by coming dressed as their favourite character from one of the three films, or in an outfit inspired by the The Beat Goes On theme.
The team are yet to release details on the exciting film related activities for the day alongside the screenings, though there is usually a selection of fun games and introductory activities to join in with.
Leeds Cinema Crawl Itinerary 2026:
11:30am - A Hard Day’s Night (PG, 1964, 87 minutes) at Cottage Road Cinema (doors open 11:00am)
2:30pm - Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains (18, 1982, 87 minutes) at Hyde Park Picture House (HPPH, Unreserved Screen One)
5:30pm - Good Vibrations (15, 2012, 111 minutes) at Howard Assembly Room
To complete the whole experience - all three venues have a great range of both soft and alcoholic beverages on offer and some classic cinema snacks too.
However, the beauty of the crawl lends itself to exploration in the surrounding areas, in between screenings. The films are to be spaced out across the whole day and across various venues, allowing for time to stretch your legs and try out some of the fabulous local eateries that Leeds has to offer.
Each independent cinema selected for the crawl has something to offer that regular cinemas do not.
Our personal favourite of the three is Hyde Park Picture House, located in the heart of Hyde Park. The building itself has been recently restored to its former glory making it worth the visit alone, with the most ornate, charming exterior and fully equipped with an old fashioned ticket office and street lamp that transports you back in time.
Whether you live locally or you make a day of it, by visiting Leeds, this event is not to be missed out on.
You must be at least 18 to purchase a day pass due to some of the films ratings and there will be no allocated seating, so be sure to arrive in good time to nab the best seats.
While some cinemas are accessible for wheelchair users, some are sadly not, so it is advised to speak with the cinemas directly before purchasing tickets for the event.
A cross-venue full-day ticket costs £24 for access to all three films. However, students, those with a Leeds Card or seniors over 60, can access reduced tickets for £19. It is important to note that HPPH free membership tickets are not available on the day passes.
Tickets for individual screenings are also available for around £8.50-£10.
The event is on Sunday 27 September 2026, starting at 11:30am.
For further information and to book your tickets here.
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Featured image - The Hoot Leeds
Georgina Pellant -
13th July 2021 
