The 2021 Old Trafford protests were a series of protests against the Glazer ownership of Manchester United following the clubs announcement it had joined the European Super League project that subsequently collapsed. On the 2 May, fans organised protests outside of Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium and the Lowry Hotel prior to the clubs Premier League fixture against Liverpool.
A number of protesters were able to gain access to the stadium resulting in an initial delay to kick-off, before the eventual postponement of the fixture. This was the first time that a Premier League match had ever been postponed due to a protest.
Background
In April 2021, Joel Glazer played a high-profile role in controversial plans to have Manchester United compete in a proposed European Super League. Plans were announced on 18 April and were unpopular with fans. Despite Manchester United's withdrawal from the competition three days later and heavy backlash from fans, players, managers and pundits, protests still continued.
On 22 April, a group of around 20 supporters gained entry to Manchester United's training ground to stage a protest against Glazer's ownership. Two days later, a second protest outside Old Trafford saw over 2,000 fans protest against Glazer's ownership and advocate for the 50+1 rule seen in German football. Joel Glazer later apologised to the team's fans, saying "[he] got it wrong," but fans remained enraged, telling a team executive they were "disgusted, embarrassed, and angry" with his actions.
Prior to the 2021 attempt to join the European Super League by the Glazer ownership, significant series of protests against their ownership had occurred in 2010, colloquially called "The Green and Gold Movement". As well as in 2005, before the club was acquired by the Glazer family.
Events
On 2 May 2021, Manchester United were scheduled to play rivals Liverpool in a Premier League fixture at Old Trafford, during the 2020–21 season. The match was abandoned due to a stadium invasion and subsequent pitch invasion as part a second protest at Old Trafford, and third in total when including the Carrington protest. The match, which had been due to kick off at 16:30 (BST), was officially postponed at 17:35 (BST).
Timeline
At 13:00 BST the first of the protesters began to gather outside Old Trafford ahead of the scheduled start time by Manchester United supporters of 14:00 BST for the protest with some reports suggesting over 10,000 protesters were in attendance. A second, smaller protest occurred outside the Lowry Hotel where the Manchester United players were staying before the match. Initial reports of a security breach at the stadium occurred at 14:30 BST, with a portion of the protesters gaining access to the stadium and making their way onto the pitch. At 15:00 BST, a security sweep of the stadium began in an attempt to remove all protesters, assess pitch damage, and determine if a breach of COVID-19 protocols had occurred. The Premier League published the official team sheets at the required time of 15:30 BST but at 15:55 BST, the Premier League confirmed there would be a delay in kick-off. It was reported that the stadium was cleared of protesters ahead of the originally scheduled 16:30 BST kick-off time, but the decision was taken to postpone the game at 17:50 BST.
Incidents
Six police officers were injured in the protests, with one sustaining a fractured eye socket. One man was arrested in connection with the assault on one of the officers.
The family of a protestor alleged police officers inflicted a broken jaw and ribs in the process of arresting him on suspicion of theft from a motor vehicle and a public order offence.
On 4 May 2021, a 28-year-old man was charged throwing fireworks in a street, using threatening behaviour and wilfully obstructing the highway near the Lowry Hotel.
Reaction
Former players of Liverpool and Manchester United and current Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville, and Roy Keane expressed support for the cause of the protesters and criticised the actions of the Glazer family with regards to their general operation of the club since their takeover, and their more recent involvement in the European Super League project. In a BBC article on the protest by Simon Stone, he described the protest as 16 years in the making.