As a fan, I'm often told that my voice doesn't matter - that by supporting Manchester City, I'm implicitly complicit in the city's dubious links to human rights abuses in Sudan. But this couldn't be further from the truth.
The reality is that as fans, we have an unprecedented platform to raise our voices and demand change. We can use social media to call out the club's owners for their alleged ties to the UAE's Rapid Support Forces, which are accused of committing war crimes in Darfur. We can participate in peaceful protests outside Old Trafford, or organize petition drives to pressure Manchester city council into taking action.
But this is about more than just protest - it's about using our voices to create real change. And that's where the power of grassroots activism comes in. By supporting groups like Newcastle United Fans Against Sportswashing, who have led the charge against human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, we can learn from their model and adapt it to Manchester City.
One option is to join forces with the Amnesty group, which has been campaigning for years on behalf of Emirati activists Ahmed Mansoor and Mohammed al-Roken. Another way is to donate to Human Rights Watch or support Manchester4Sudan, a brave new campaign that's calling out Manchester city council for its complicity in the UAE's atrocities.
The argument that we should "just stop supporting the club" if we don't like the owners' politics rings hollow. Football clubs are more than just businesses - they're communities, with fans who care deeply about their team and its values. And it's our responsibility to hold those teams accountable for the actions of their owners.
By using our voices as fans, we can create a groundswell of pressure that forces Manchester city council to take action. We don't have to be silent just because we're afraid to rock the boat - on the contrary, we should be loud and proud in our demands for change.
The reality is that as fans, we have an unprecedented platform to raise our voices and demand change. We can use social media to call out the club's owners for their alleged ties to the UAE's Rapid Support Forces, which are accused of committing war crimes in Darfur. We can participate in peaceful protests outside Old Trafford, or organize petition drives to pressure Manchester city council into taking action.
But this is about more than just protest - it's about using our voices to create real change. And that's where the power of grassroots activism comes in. By supporting groups like Newcastle United Fans Against Sportswashing, who have led the charge against human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, we can learn from their model and adapt it to Manchester City.
One option is to join forces with the Amnesty group, which has been campaigning for years on behalf of Emirati activists Ahmed Mansoor and Mohammed al-Roken. Another way is to donate to Human Rights Watch or support Manchester4Sudan, a brave new campaign that's calling out Manchester city council for its complicity in the UAE's atrocities.
The argument that we should "just stop supporting the club" if we don't like the owners' politics rings hollow. Football clubs are more than just businesses - they're communities, with fans who care deeply about their team and its values. And it's our responsibility to hold those teams accountable for the actions of their owners.
By using our voices as fans, we can create a groundswell of pressure that forces Manchester city council to take action. We don't have to be silent just because we're afraid to rock the boat - on the contrary, we should be loud and proud in our demands for change.
... like that's ever worked out in history? We're talking about a community here, not just some faceless corporation 
. We've got fans who care, and they deserve to see their voices heard too! I think it's time we start supporting orgs that actually make a difference 
, rather than just boycotting the team altogether... trust me, I'm all for a good protest, but sometimes you gotta take action 
.
. As a fan myself, it's crazy how much pressure we can put on the club with just one tweet or Facebook post. I mean, think about it, if like 50k of us are saying "no to human rights abuses", that's gotta make some noise 
. And honestly, I'm so tired of people saying we should just boycott the team because we disagree with the owners' politics. Like, what even is that? It's a football club, not a war zone 
. We need to use our voices for good, not silence them. Support groups like Newcastle Fans Against Sportswashing are doing it right, let's learn from them! And who cares if some of the owners have shady connections, we don't own those people 
. We're fans, not judges. But for real though, this is a great point about using our voices to create change. We can do more than just complain, we can demand action 
.
I'm loving this article! It's so true that as fans, we have a platform to raise our voices and demand change. I mean, sure, it's easy to just mindlessly support our team without thinking about the bigger picture, but where's the fun in that? 
We should be using our love for football to drive real change, not just cheering on our teams from the comfort of our couches.
Let's use our love for football to drive positive change! 
?
.
. We should be supporting groups like Newcastle United Fans Against Sportswashing and Amnesty International because they're leading the charge against human rights abuses.
. Its all about using our voices and not just sitting back and supporting them because its our team 
... Like, no one's telling you that supporting your team doesn't mean you're complicit in everything they do. It's about using your voice to make a difference, not just sitting on the sidelines 
... I remember when I was a little kid, my dad would tell me stories about how football could bring people together and make a real impact 
I feel you, mate! It's so frustrating when people tell us our voices don't matter, but that couldn't be further from the truth 
. As a fan, I believe we have a responsibility to speak out against any wrongdoing, whether it's human rights abuses or not 
. It's time for us to be loud and proud about what we care about 
. People say we just watch the games and buy merchandise but I believe we have the power to bring about real change 
.
, especially when you consider all the good work being done by groups like Amnesty and Human Rights Watch 
.
. I've been thinking, what if we could get a similar movement going for Manchester City? It wouldn't be easy, but it would be worth it 
. We should be proud to use our voices as fans to create real change 
.
I had no idea they were linked to human rights abuses in Sudan 
it's crazy how one team can have a reputation like that and yet we still love them unconditionally 
but this article makes total sense to me - as fans, we do have the power to make a difference, even if it's just through social media or joining a petition 