Burnley captain Ben Mee has expressed his shame and embarrassment after a banner reading 'white lives matter Burnley' was flown over the Etihad Stadium before their match against Manchester City. The plane circled the ground as players took the knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
In an emotional interview with Sky Sports, Mee said: 'I'm ashamed, embarrassed that a small number of our fans have decided to put that around the stadium. These people need to come into the 21st century and educate themselves.' He stressed that the banner does not represent the club or its values.
Manager Sean Dyche also condemned the incident, calling it 'unacceptable' and stating that the club would take action. Burnley released a statement apologising 'unreservedly' and vowing to ban those responsible from Turf Moor.
Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling tweeted a picture of the banner with the hashtag '#TimeForChange', while former City defender Micah Richards described the act as 'disheartening' given the progress made in recent weeks.
