Savills investigating racist Euro tweets
UPDATE AS OF 3:41pm: Savills has issued a Twitter statement saying the individual claims their account was taken over by a third party. Savills said they suspended the individual pending further investigation. Read more.
The global real estate company condemned the tweets and said it was “committed to eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity”.
Twitter account @bone_andrew wrote “N*****s ruined it for us” after the Euro 2020 final on 11 July. A person of the same name is an employee at Savills’ Manchester offices.
That individual’s LinkedIn profile, as well as the @bone_andrew Twitter account, have since been deleted.
This is the tweet from @bone_andrew that has sparked the Savills investigation
Soon after the initial tweet was sent, responses came in that named the tweeter as the employee for Savills. Members of the public urged Savills over Twitter to fire them for the tweet.
Company officials said Savills was taking the matter very seriously and issued the following statement:
“Savills abhors and has zero tolerance to any form of racism and racial discrimination and is appalled by the racist comments in these tweets. Savills is immediately investigating and will take appropriate action.”
The company also tweeted that same statement, as well as a line saying that it is “committed to eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity amongst [its] workforce”.
Savills abhors and has zero tolerance to any form of racism and racial discrimination and is appalled by the racist comments in these tweets. Savills is immediately investigating and will take appropriate action
— Savills (@Savills) July 12, 2021
Both the FA and Prime Minister Boris Johnson issued statements condemning racist comments attacking English players. The abuse comes in the wake of the Euro 2020 final that England lost to Italy 3-2. Players Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka have been the target of much of the online vitriol after they failed to score when the match moved into penalties.
The FA wrote that it was “appalled” by the racist hate directed at England players. “We could not be clearer that anyone behind such disgusting behaviour is not welcome in following the team,” it said via a Twitter statement.
— FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson) July 12, 2021
Johnson said that the England team “deserve to be lauded as heroes, not racially abused on social media”.
This England team deserve to be lauded as heroes, not racially abused on social media.
Those responsible for this appalling abuse should be ashamed of themselves.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) July 12, 2021
Thank you for calling this out and making it a clear message.
This needs to happen more.
Well done.
By Mark Grimshaw