‘White Lives Matter’ Burnley fan Sacked From His Job After Etihad Stadium Plane Stunt

Forum 3 years ago

‘White Lives Matter’ Burnley fan Sacked From His Job After Etihad Stadium Plane Stunt

The Burnley fan behind a ‘White Lives Matter’ banner that was flown above the Etihad Stadium has been sacked from his job at an engineering firm.

The banner, that appeared in the sky as Burnley faced Manchester City in the Premier League on June 22, was widely criticised at a time when there is significant global support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Clarets fan Jack Hepple, 24, has taken responsibility for the banner and has since been handed a lifetime ban by the club. He won’t, however, face any police charges following the conclusion of an investigation.

While avoiding any criminal action, Hepple has lost his job, with a spokesperson for engineering company Paradigm Precision confirming there had been a break in company policy.

They told Sky News:

“We have concluded our investigation into the conduct of one of our employees in relation to an incident at the Burnley vs Manchester City match, as well as other related matters.

“We have concluded that there has been a breach of the company’s various policies and procedures. The individual no longer works for the company.”

Regarding the decision not to take criminal action, chief superintendent Russ Procter, of Lancashire Police, said:

“After assessing all the information available surrounding this incident we have concluded that there are no criminal offences that have been disclosed at this time.

“We will continue to work with our partners at the football club and within the local authority.”