6 Debates
An incident occurred during the match between Paris St. Germain and Istanbul Başakşehir on Tuesday. After Istanbul's assistant manager Pierre Webó was shown a red card, a referee from Romania used the term "negru" to refer to Webó, who is from Cameroon, while talking to a fellow Romanian. Both teams left the pitch in protest, and the match was postponed to the next day. What does the incident reveal?
Mass protests continue in the United States after the killing of George Floyd, an African American, by a policeman. While most rallies have been peaceful, some protestors have resorted to vandalism and looting. In reaction to the unrest 1,600 soldiers have been stationed near Washington. European media examine the structural causes for the racism which has brought the protesters onto the streets.
A debate has reignited in Switzerland over the use of the name "Mohrenköpfe", which means "Moors' heads" in English, for popular chocolate-coated marshmallow sweets. A well-known Swiss manufacturer has insisted on keeping the name for its product despite the controversy. Now the country's largest supermarket chain, Migros, has removed the product from its shelves. Commentators say the manufacturer and its defenders should rethink their position.
The streaming service HBO Max has temporarily removed the classic film Gone with the Wind from its programme. The company explained the decision saying that the 1939 film's glorification of slavery on US plantations and the racist prejudices it depicts meant that it would be irresponsible for the platform to continue offering it without comment. The film would return with a discussion of the 'historical context', a spokesperson said. Is the move long overdue or exaggerated?
