Gscene News Archive

The Justin Campaign celebrated its second Justin Fashanu Day at the Various Voices choir festival at the Southbank Arts Centre in London last month. The campaign organisers were commemorating the 11th anniversary of Justin Fashanu’s tragic death, highlighting the fact that Fashanu remains the only out professional British football player in history and reminding us of the very real existence of homophobia within the game of football.

The Various Voices event has been granted the London 2012 Olympic inspire mark, and provided The Justin Campaign with a wonderful opportunity to spread the word among the attendees and the wider public.

After speaking at the Southbank Centre, the campaigners joined forces with an international chorus of singers, sportsmen and women to perform a rousing rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone on the banks of the River Thames.

Meanwhile, Republica Internationale FC, the Leeds-based socialist football team, represented the Justin Fashanu All-Stars, in full kit, at their annual five-a-side tournament in Leeds, where the entire tournament observed a minute’s silence in memory of the late Justin Fashanu.

Jason Bartholomew Hall, one of the Justin campaign organisers, staged a minute’s silence at the Tate Modern before being removed by officials, as part of his campaign to make the issues of homophobia in football visible through the arts. Jason said:
“What bigger stage is there than the Tate Modern to get our message across?”

Anyone who may be interested in tackling the issue of homophobia in football and feels they may have particular strengths or skills to offer the campaign, can get in touch via the new website:
www.thejustincampaign.com