Whether they helped bring down Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, led marches against their club’s owners at Chelsea or pushed back against plans to commercialize football, fans are a powerful force in the game. But while their protests may be less dramatic than the giant tifos of the past, their fight is more important than ever.
On a street corner in Hollywood, fans held signs like “#SaveTheOA” and a stuffed octopus (representing Old Night, an ancient octopus character who appears in season two of Netflix’s sci-fi drama “The OA”). They stood for hours in the sun, soaking up the honks and waves from cars on the busy stretch of road. Two of them even took turns running a YouTube livestream for folks who couldn’t make it to the location.
Across the country, fans are using their passion for football to fight for important social issues. Using the power of their numbers, they’re using their voices to demand respect, change and a better future for all.
The following fan protest stories come from a few different countries and show the variety of ways in which supporters express their views. They can address different counterparts such as other fans, their team, club management or associations, political leaders, police and security forces or local authorities. Depending on the reason for their activism, they can also organize protests in public spaces like streets and stadiums.