Four fans ejected as ‘racism is as American as baseball’ banner displayed at Boston Red Sox's Fenway Park
The sign was unfurled in the fourth innings of the game against Oakland
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Your support makes all the difference.Four fans were removed from Fenway Park, the home of Major League Baseball side Boston Red Sox, after they unfurled a large banner that read “racism is as American as baseball”.
The huge black and white sign was dropped over the middle section of the stadium’s famous high wall in the left field – known as the Green Monster – during the fourth innings of the game against Oakland.
The group branded themselves as “a group of white anti-racist protestors” in a statement to the Washington Post.
They said: “We want to remind everyone that just as baseball is fundamental to American culture and history, so too is racism.”
An additional statement was posted on the Twitter account @AntifaBoston, which included a video, and claimed to be behind the banner. They criticised the history of the Red Sox for becoming the last team to integrate black players into the team following the end of racial segregation in MLB.
The Red Sox confirmed the removal of the individuals in a statement and said they did not permit banners of any kind to be hung in the stadium.
“During the fourth inning of tonight’s game, four fans unfurled a banner over the left field wall in violation of the club’s policy prohibiting signs of any kind to be hung or affixed to the ballpark,” Red Sox spokesperson Zineb Curran said.
“The individuals involved were escorted out of Fenway Park.”
It is the second incident to happen at Fenway Park this season, after Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones said he was subjected to racial slurs while playing against the Red Sox in May.
Red Sox president Sam Kennedy subsequently apologised to Jones after he claimed he was “called the n-word a handful of times” by supporters.
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