Joshua Backlash Unmasks An Inconvenient Truth

The insidious reality which shrouds criticism of Joshua’s involvement in the recent Black Lives Matter protests

Crutched up and accompanied by friends, family and regular folk, Anthony Joshua took to the streets of his hometown of Watford in a show of solidarity and to add his voice to a global call for justice.

In an attempt to provide comfort and promise to current and future generations at a time of great distress, Joshua took a roaming microphone and spoke largely in earnest in front of fellow protesters and those watching along via social media. Topics touched on included but weren’t limited to the eradication of gang culture, the need for peaceful demonstration and the value of all lives. Pretty routine on the face of it – but once he put the mic down and looked at his twitter feed, he was immediately greeted by an avalanche of contempt and vitriol.

Yes – this was in part due to the “breaking” of social distancing rules, as damage limitation methods (for a virus which has disproportionately affected BAME groups in the UK) in some part persist. But there was a certain part of a speech Joshua read on behalf of a community leader which sparked irrational ire from the defenders of all things St George and Union Jack on the internet:

The definition of “them” caused contention amongst listeners when it really shouldn’t have. There are some who instantly knew that Joshua was referring to businesses which oppress or show disdain for black people, whilst there are others who looked from afar in bemusement and took the heavyweight champion’s words to mean “boycott everything white.”

The important “pro-black” message of the need for agency and the amassing community wealth amongst black people was now one construed as one which somehow sowed “anti-white” division and was hypocritical coming from a commercial juggernaut who has amassed great wealth with the aid…

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