London Council Under Fire for Depicting Millwall Badge on KKK Robe in School Anti-Racism Material

Westminster City Council has sparked controversy after publishing a children's anti-racism educational booklet for London primary schools that featured Millwall Football Club's badge prominently displayed on an illustration of a Ku Klux Klan robe. The club learned about the offensive imagery at the same time as the general public.

The pamphlet recounts the experiences of Paul Canoville, Chelsea's first Black player who endured horrific racial abuse during the 1980s. A particular page depicts a KKK figure wearing a white robe emblazoned with Millwall's club crest across the chest, positioned alongside a quote from Canoville describing racial abuse he suffered during a Chelsea Reserves fixture against Millwall Reserves. While the illustration references an actual historical incident, the decision to feature the club's current badge as the focal point in educational material distributed to young students has proven highly contentious.

Millwall have indicated they are exploring potential legal action, contending that the image presents "a false and damaging image of the club." Labour Member of Parliament Neil Coyle, who represents Bermondsey and Old Southwark—the area surrounding Millwall's home ground—condemned the booklet as "an insult to southeast London," specifically highlighting the club's extensive community engagement initiatives. The Millwall Supporters' Club expressed being "outraged" by what they characterized as a "deeply damaging misrepresentation."

The complicated reality

Millwall's association with hooliganism is well-established, with some criticism being legitimately warranted. Notable incidents include violence at the 2013 FA Cup semifinal, supporters booing players taking the knee in 2020, and a £45,000 fine levied this season for offensive chanting during a match at Crystal Palace. The club cannot simply dismiss this scrutiny.

However, Millwall also pioneered English football's first internal anti-discrimination organization in 1994. The club maintains active partnerships with organizations such as Kick it Out and Show Racism the Red Card. This historical context is significant, and it appears the booklet's designers conducted no meaningful research before proceeding to publication.

The Paul Canoville Foundation confirmed it received no consultation regarding the booklet's content at any point during its development. Westminster Council has subsequently withdrawn the publication from circulation and issued a formal apology, acknowledging the image represented "an insensitive way to illustrate the historic problem of racism within football." Kensington and Chelsea Council, whose branding also appeared on the cover, supported the withdrawal decision.

Timing couldn't be worse for promotion-chasing Millwall

This controversy arrives as Millwall sits level on points with Ipswich in the Championship table, competing for one of two automatic promotion places to the Premier League—the closest the club has come to England's top flight since the 1989-90 campaign. Ipswich currently holds the advantage on goal difference, with three matches remaining compared to Millwall's two fixtures.

Millwall travel to face already-relegated Leicester on Friday, while Ipswich host West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. With virtually no room for mistakes, the club has spent much of the week managing a public relations crisis completely beyond their control.

The Millwall Supporters' Club stated that the supporter base "works tirelessly to eradicate discrimination of any kind from the game." Regardless of how completely that characterization reflects reality, the club certainly deserved more consideration from a council that attached their identity to material the club never had the opportunity to review.