Murals at the charity HQ of the world’s first professional black footballer have been defaced with graffiti.
The artwork includes the shirt numbers of England’s trio who missed penalties in Sunday’s Euros final – Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka.
It’s drawn on the walls of the Arthur Wharton Foundation building in Darlington, a charity dedicated to the legacy of the trailblazing former goalkeeper.
The message ‘We do not stand with the 3 black lions’ was written underneath the players’ numbers – 11, 17 and 25.
A second lament about the ‘current rate of non-white immigration’ was scrawled underneath a blue and red mural of the Three Lions crest.
The racist messages have since been removed and have been widely condemned.
Darlington MP Peter Gibson said: ‘The Arthur Wharton Foundation has done much to promote understanding of the contribution of black footballers throughout our history.
‘I am appalled by the vandalism, and the racism that has been daubed on the murals.
‘Our town is an open welcoming place to all people. Those responsible for this graffiti should be identified and punished.’
Police said they are investigating. Rashford, Sancho and Saka have been subject to a torrent of racist abuse since England’s heartbreaking loss to Italy at Wembley.
A mural of Rashford in Manchester was vandalised and the Football Association has been charged with four offences by Uefa over the unruly behaviour of fans.
Wharton signed as Darlington FC’s goalie for the 1885-86 season, becoming the first black professional footballer in the world.
Alongside his football career, he became the fastest man in the world by running 100 yards in 10 seconds flat at Stamford Bridge in London in July 1886.
The foundation said the ‘eccentric’ Wharton would use his speed to good effect by ‘waiting in a crouching position at the side of the goal before rushing out to save the ball’.
They said they commissioned the artwork as ‘a testament to courage and endeavour’.
The charity said: ‘We will never know the pressure of taking a penalty in front of the eyes of the world. To the ignorant and the haters: love will always conquer hate.’
A spokesperson for Durham Police said: ‘Officers are investigating following reports of damage to the Arthur Wharton mural, in Darlington, overnight on Friday, July 16.’
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