Banner flown over Crystal Palace vs Arsenal calls for football to 'Kick Rapists Off The Pitch'

Arsenal fans teamed up with feminist campaign group Level Up to fly a banner over Selhurst Park, during the Premier League's opening game, to call for football to kick rapists out of the game.

The Gunners opened the Premier League season with an away fixture against Crystal Palace on Friday night, the second season in-a-row they've had a London derby to kick things off.

Above the ground, a banner was flown over that read 'Kick Rapists Off The Pitch,' after an 'internationally renowned' footballer was arrested on suspicion of rape, last month, in July.

The banner was co funded by Arsenal fans and Level Up, with the campaign group explaining why they flew the banner over the ground.

"The Premier League are finally beginning to recognise the enormous influence that football has on our culture and our individual behaviours by introducing mandatory consent training," Level Up co-director Seyi Falodun-Liburd told the Athletic.

"We want to see all the actions from our open letter implemented, particularly consequences and disciplinary actions for players who cause harm – and we want this done by an independent ombudsman, who sits outside of any business or club."

We’re not waiting any more. We’ve petitioned. We’ve written open letters. We’ve done meetings. We’ll be more direct.

It’s long overdue that Premier League clubs confront a culture of impunity, complicity and silence around rape in football.

Credit:@jondbarker pic.twitter.com/nTI9JTqm4N

— Level Up (@we_level_up) August 5, 2022

.@Arsenal absolutely breaking my heart this week, but I am so proud to have joined with friends and fans to fly this banner over Selhurst Park.

Bottom Line: Kick rapists off the pitch. Fight sexual violence. Stand up to power.

S/O: @mikeyfranklin & @we_level_up pic.twitter.com/1CVWwlbkgF

— Kyle Morse (@Kyle_A_Morse) August 5, 2022

The Premier League had announced on Thursday that it was bringing in mandatory sexual consent training to all players in the league.

A statement from Level Up said they “plan to disrupt the fanfare and demand England's top tier takes more action on ‘a culture of impunity around sexual violence in football’.”

It comes on the back of other players facing accusations of rape, with Benjamin Mendy currently on bail awaiting trial for eight counts of rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of attempted rape.

The player who was recently accused remains unnamed but according to reports, his club knew of other allegations against the player for several months.

Proud to have spent a bit of time and a bit of money making this happen. https://t.co/cVIli2JCZI

— mikey is 30 today (@mikeyfranklin) August 5, 2022

They have also decided against suspending him or stopping him from playing, a decision that has definitely angered some.

Arsenal fan Mikey Franklin, who helped fund the banner on Friday, told the Athletic, "As a lifelong Arsenal fan, I want to see our club lead the league in fighting sexual violence.

"Anyone who is violent towards a woman must be held accountable, no matter how important they are to any team’s success.

"Sexual violence is a problem everywhere and I want Arsenal, given their importance in the Premier League, to lead the way."

If football doesn't take action against those who commit violent crimes against women they risk alienating 51% of the population.