As widely reported, this fan was evicted from the ground yesterday for displaying this banner. According to @CAFCfanDanii "He was manhandled and his mum was hit in the face all by stewards." I hope he takes further action against the club and urge any witnesses to support him.But who needs a protest recruitment campaign when the club's management can stoke the flames of protest so effectively? The stewards' intervention was provocative: it could have started serious unrest in the North stand. Perhaps that was the intention. It's only the patience and decency of the fans that stopped that happening. The troublemakers here aren't the fans.
Yesterday's protest was impressive. No-one expected the boycott to be 100% solid but it seemed to me that fewer people than usual had bought programmes or food or drink. There were several bizarre sightings of people in black and white scarves buying things. I'm not sure how they can reconcile their actions, but that's an issue for their conscience.
After the match a massive crowd assembled outside the West Stand. Much bigger than the protest after the Forest game, but again it was on the whole peaceful though angry.
I've no doubt this is going to be a long campaign. Roland has deep pockets, and the indifference of a very rich man to what people think of him. If you haven't already, please consider making a donation to the campaign fund. Details of how to do it are in this thread on the Charlton Life forum. You don't need to be a member of the forum to contribute cash, but if you have any ideas on what action should be next, I'm sure they'd love to hear them.
It's payday next week for a lot of people, so please offer whatever you can. Any amount is helpful. Let's keep this movement going!
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2 comments :
I have collected my programmes for the last fifty years. I was behind the west stand at 5pm giving my vocal support to the protest. I do not see a conflict of interest.
In my opinion yesterday the stickers for Roland out should have been put where they will cause most inconvenience to the club. Stick them on your seat, on the Club shop window, on anywhere where the Club would not want them seen." We are not customers on the club shop window" might also have been appropriate. The extra security yesterday were looking to justify why they were there. We have to call their bluff and use numbers around them to show they are out of order.
The peaceful protest is all well and good but we need to be more in their face than shouting a few songs,
I was on the verge or walking out when I witnessed the eviction of those two fans but then I'm turning my back on the team which I support. I still can't believe that Charlton Athletic renown for it's community and fan engagement is forcibly removing it's own fans who disagree with it. What next eviction for those who groan at a pass back rather than forward?
Should we walk out if the regime continues this policy of evicting those who disagree with it? Perhaps the regime thinks it can afford to lose a few fans after all only 2% disagree don't they Roland?
It's a dilemma and I don't know the answer. I don't have a season ticket this season but I've not been attending games that I could so in effect I'm not supporting the team. But then there are many with season tickets that are also doing the same.
Do we withdraw our support of our team at the Valley and take it to away games only? That would hurt the regime and yes I can understand the counter argument that it would hurt the team too. Coventry City did this some seasons ago, I don't know the exact details of their dispute with the owners but I clearly remember a lot of media coverage of the many thousands who went away often in equal or greater in number the the home fans.
I agree with Bob - stick those stickers where they don't want them!
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