• Former Manchester United footballer shows his continued solidarity with Palestine.
• Legend collaborates with ‘The Big Issue’ to highlight homelessness challenges.
Former Manchester United footballer Eric Cantona appeared on Instagram lending his voice to protest the genocide being committed against the Palestinians by the illegal Israeli occupiers.
Cantona has been involved in various humanitarian and social justice efforts. His work includes supporting refugees and migrants, focusing on providing essential resources and raising awareness about their plights. However, his most notable efforts have been with organisations highlighting the oppression Palestinians face daily, only adding weight to humanity’s claim of genocide against the Israelis. Recently, he has been using his platform to raise awareness about Palestinians’ destitution.
In the clip, Cantona reads the words of displaced Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda, who spent much of her time reporting from Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, after the incidents of October 7th. He shows respect to each word that he utters and with gravitas as if to try and do justice for the victims of this brutal mass murder.
Another recent collaboration was with ‘The Big Issue’, where he advocates for issues affecting homeless people. Cantona’s involvement goes beyond mere advocacy; he actively participates in initiatives creating awareness and raising funds to support the magazine, which helps homeless people earn an income and improve their lives.
It is with this principality that for over 10 years Cantona has actively supported the Palestinian cause. His commitment to these causes demonstrates his ongoing dedication to leveraging his fame for humanitarian purposes. Cantona has shown his support through various symbolic actions.
In 2012, he joined calls for the release of Palestinian footballer Mahmoud Sarsak who spent three months on hunger strike while imprisoned in Israel for three years without trial or charges.
In 2021 he backed an aid campaign for Palestine when Israelis massacred 256 Palestinians and injured more than 1900 during and after the period of Ramadan. He supported a relief campaign for the Palestinian Medical Relief Society during Israel’s air raids on Gaza, by sharing a photo of himself and his wife wearing t-shirts with the words “Hoping for Palestine”.
In 2022 he posted a picture wearing a “Palestinadelica” football shirt, which was part of a project organised by fans of Scottish football club Celtic’s ‘The Green Brigade’ supporting Palestinian refugees. Celtic fans themselves, are ardent supporters of the Palestinian’s right to be free – with a long-running and deep history.
After the incidents of October 7th, Cantona shared a powerful statement on Instagram, advocating for the human rights of Palestinians and reaffirming that supporting Palestine does not equate to being anti-Semitic or supporting terrorism.
Almost three decades after the kung fu kick that brought him infamy, Cantona can now be recognised for true activism and fundraising, which now is his enduring legacy off the pitch.
He continues to make an impact by addressing critical social issues and supporting vulnerable populations. Cantona’s actions demonstrate commitment to humanitarian causes and his efforts to use his influence for advocacy.
We could only hope that more players and clubs across the many football leagues would have done the same when Palestine needed them in the same way as Ukraine.
