London Council Under Fire for Depicting Millwall Badge on KKK Robe in Children's Anti-Racism Booklet

Westminster City Council has landed itself in hot water after publishing a children's anti-racism educational booklet for London primary schools that featured Millwall FC's badge prominently displayed on an illustration of a Ku Klux Klan robe. The Championship club discovered the controversial imagery at the same time as the general public.

The pamphlet chronicles the experiences of Paul Canoville, a Black footballer who played for Chelsea and endured horrific racial abuse during the 1980s. One page depicts a KKK figure dressed in the organization's signature white robe — with Millwall's club crest positioned on the chest — alongside a quote from Canoville discussing racial abuse he faced during a Chelsea Reserves fixture against Millwall Reserves. While the illustration references an actual historical incident, using the club's current official badge as the focal point in educational materials distributed to young students crosses an entirely different line.

Millwall officials have indicated they're exploring legal options, contending the image generates "a false and damaging image of the club." Labour Member of Parliament Neil Coyle, who represents Bermondsey and Old Southwark — the area where Millwall is based — characterized it as "an insult to southeast London," while highlighting the club's extensive community outreach efforts. The Millwall Supporters' Club released a statement expressing they were "outraged" by what they termed a "deeply damaging misrepresentation."

The Complex Reality of Millwall's History

Millwall's reputation for hooliganism is thoroughly documented, and portions of that reputation have been legitimately earned — including violence at the 2013 FA Cup semifinal, supporters booing players who took the knee against racism in 2020, and a £45,000 fine levied this very season for offensive chanting during a match at Crystal Palace. This isn't a club that can simply ignore criticism or scrutiny.

However, there's another side to this story. Millwall established English football's first internal anti-discrimination organization way back in 1994. The club actively collaborates with prominent anti-racism groups including Kick it Out and Show Racism the Red Card. This background is significant, and whoever was responsible for designing the booklet evidently conducted absolutely no research before sending it to print.

The Paul Canoville Foundation has confirmed it received no consultation regarding the booklet's contents at any point during development. Westminster Council has subsequently withdrawn the publication from circulation and issued a formal apology, acknowledging the image represented "an insensitive way to illustrate the historic problem of racism within football." Kensington and Chelsea Council, whose branding also appeared on the booklet's front cover, supported the decision to pull it.

Timing Couldn't Be Worse for Promotion-Chasing Millwall

Millwall currently sit level on points with Ipswich Town in the Championship standings, competing for one of the two coveted automatic promotion places to the Premier League — marking the first time the club has positioned itself this close to England's top flight since the 1989-90 campaign. Ipswich maintain the advantage on goal difference, with three matches remaining compared to Millwall's two fixtures.

Millwall are scheduled to travel to already-relegated Leicester City on Friday, while Ipswich host West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. The margin for error has essentially evaporated, yet the club's week has been dominated by a public relations nightmare they played no part in creating.

The Millwall Supporters' Club emphasized that the fanbase "works tirelessly to eradicate discrimination of any kind from the game." Whether that characterization is completely accurate remains debatable, but the club certainly deserved far better treatment from a municipal council that attached their identity to something they never had the opportunity to review or challenge.