English football teams to raise 'Refugees Welcome' banners at home games

Inspired by support and offers of practical help from fans across Germany in recent weeks, Aston Villa and Swindon Town fans became the first in England to say they planned to hold aloft such banners amid attempts to coordinate support via social media.

The organisers of a campaign on Facebook and Twitter (@RefugeesEFL) said they had been directly inspired by the images in Germany.

“The German fans using “Refugees Welcome” banners was a big inspiration,” said Deena Nakeeb, who is organising the Facebook campaign. “It’s not just the imagery behind manly blokes holding banners supporting an issue which is so poignant at the moment, it’s the fact we as the British public are showing solidarity.”