[Dirtycheat]

United slam protesters after Munich tribute is hit

Originally Posted by daily mail

Manchester United have hit out at protesters who threw paint at their sponsors' logo on the Busby Babes Munich tribute.


Protesters targeted the poster of AIG, the American insurance giant, after complaints that its presence in the poignant memorial was "vulgar".

Security will be stepped up at Old Trafford after the poster, featuring the 1958 team which lost eight players in the air crash, was vandalised.

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Club spokesman Phil Townsend said: "A couple of paint bombs were thrown at the Munich tribute on the East Stand last night.

"It's just a group of mindless idiots who have vandalised a tribute to the Busby Babes."

Anti-Glazer protesters have already attacked the AIG offices as well as the home of United chief executive David Gill this month.

But Townsend also defended the presence of the AIG logo, saying: "It's not an advert. It's a tribute by one of our major partners and we are entirely comfortable with it."

The Munich disaster memorial was attacked with paint bombs

Sick attack: workmen clean up at Old Trafford today
Enlarge the image

The banner has already had to be altered once after the club got the wording wrong.

Some supporters criticised the club for omitting the word 'Busby' from the enormous tribute, which features the words to the United calypso terrace chant and covers the front of Old Trafford's East Stand. The blunder was spotted by fans and later rectified by the club.

The Munich disaster memorial was attacked with paint bombs
Enlarge the image

The huge tribute, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster, features a picture of the Babes' final line-up against Red Star Belgrade, along with the words to the calypso chant. The wording was changed from 'bouncing Babes' to 'bouncing Busby Babes'.

Reaction was mixed from fans on the Red Issue website.

One said: "A can of spray paint is totally appropriate."

But another said: "This is a disgrace if true. Defacing a tribute is defacing a tribute whatever the intentions may be."

While one read: "Anyone who's taken the time and risk to get that aberration off the tribute deserves our thanks and respect."

ok, i am no fan of the AIG logo being there. I think it's a bit inappropriate to put an insurance company's advert on a tribute to those who died in a tragic accident. IMO its not on at all.

However, surely there are better ways to express yourself that dont include vandalism. United "fans" have attacked Gill's house already and now they did this. I think it's disrespectful imo and it makes us look bad infront of the whole world. This is a tribute and we are the ones going on about respecting it, although i dont like the logo i still appreciate the effort that went into it and it looks great too.


absolute morons.

[Torque]

1) They shouldn't have done it. It's not a way of solving this problem.
2) AIG have nothing to do with those players, so they shouldn't have put the logo on the picture. I don't think they should complain!

[dada]

Thats disgusting to say the least.

[funkdoctorspock]

Whoever defaced that poster are absolute idiots and imo not United fans period.

Yes I completely understand those that are upset (myself included) that AIG has there logo on this tribute poster.

However, to deface this tribute when there are so many ways to protest the logo's presence (petition, written letters to AIG headquarters and/or United, etc.) is not the way to go.

[losangeles]

There is absolutely no defense for vandalism. Of course, sometimes idiots like to act like their reckless actions are somehow epic or appropriate. Real men don't vandalize.

[RobsonLegend]

Yeah, that form of protest really looks credible, doesn't it?

The folks against the AIG logo being on the mural need to just suck it up and move on. It's there. AIG's money helped put it there. They're a business, not a humanitarian organization. Of course they were going to take the opportunity to garner whatever little PR they could by having the logo there. Why don't we get this mad about jerseys?

Oh, and the guys who did it? Piss-poor shots. I mean, seriously, that's at least a 3 sq. ft. logo. Sheesh.

[breaktherulz]

people are making a really big issue out of this.. its just a logo..

[atabekm]

It seems AIG is going to get some point before ManUtd fans

[BigMic]

To tell the truth I don't like the AIG logo there but surely that is not the right way to act.

[redchampione]

I agree that it's a completely inappropriate response, there are adult ways to express frustration at the logo, not to chuck paint at a poster of the Babes.