Football United Discrimination is on the rise again - but a coordinated response can help us fight back

Football is deeply woven into the fabric of society, so perhaps it is no surprise that at Kick It Out we have seen a rise in reports of discrimination since the summer.

- Samuel Okafor

The recent protests in central London show many more people are becoming nationalistic and want firmer action against immigration. People from ethnic minorities are being targeted with abuse.

Debate may continue about why people turned out to march with their union jacks and St George's flags.

But we can't hide from the fact that the far right has a historical link to football hooliganism, and we know there have been signs of it becoming more apparent at football this season, leaving the communities that we serve feeling vulnerable.

We've had reports of "Unite the kingdom" banners and merchandise being displayed at games, songs in support of Tommy Robinson, others shouting "Stop the boats" and increased sightings of fascist stickers at grounds this season. It serves as a reminder that discrimination is not just a statistic but a lived reality shaping how people feel in football spaces and wider society.

Last season a record number of incidents and reports were submitted to us, which illustrates two key points: one, discriminatory behaviour is going only one way, which has been the case for the past five seasons; and two, there is a greater willingness to report this behaviour.