West Ham ban fan for protesting against club owners

English Premier League club, West Ham United have dropped its hammer on a fan for protesting against club owner during the game against Liverpool last week.

Cameron Robson wore an anti-board T-shirt to protest against West Ham’s beleaguered board when he volunteered to wave a giant club flag before Liverpool’s 2-0 win.

He has been banned by the club from attending any of their matches for the rest of the season.

Robson, a season-ticket holder, unzipped his jacket to reveal a T-shirt with the message “GSB OUT” – a reference to the club’s co-owners, David Gold and David Sullivan, and the vice-chair, Karren Brady. He had passed through stadium security while wearing the top under his jacket.

Robson will have to watch the rest of the 2019/20 season's home games from his television set.

Robson has received a letter from West Ham telling him that “your display of provocative messaging was deliberately intended to incite the crowd”. The letter says that he breached regulations prohibiting the presence within the ground of anyone “who is or could (in the Operator’s reasonable opinion) constitute a source of danger, nuisance or annoyance to any other person”.

While speaking to the Guardian UK, Robson said, “I don’t think it’s fair. They see me as a source of danger, yet LS185 [the stadium operators] allow a protest to happen on their grounds. I’m not surprised it happened. It’s the board so can 100% expect it coming. However, it’s quite a low blow from them. Not much they can possibly ban me for.”

West Ham are 18th in the Premier League and Sullivan, Gold and Brady are under increasing pressure from an unhappy fanbase. Between 900 and 2,000 West Ham supporters held a static protest against the board before last month’s 1-1 home draw with Everton and further demonstrations are planned this month.