“Kick off hate. Kick on unity”: Gigg Lane to host Red Card to Hate event

The ‘Red Card to Hate’ football match will take place in Bury this weekend as part of Greater Manchester’s Hate Crime Awareness Week.

The event at Gigg Lane aims to increase awareness of hate crime and highlight support options, while bringing diverse communities together.

The event will have a strong representation from Bury’s Jewish communities through the Maccabi Centre, alongside representatives from Bury’s Muslim community and other faith groups.

Yoni Levy, who will be playing in the event said: “I think this event is a great way to bring our communities together. I’ve always loved playing football, so using it as a platform to share an important message feels very natural to me.

“This event really matters to our community, and I believe it’s important that we collectively stand against hate crime.”

Bury’s partnership policy officer, Roy Thickett said: “This event will bring people together with one common aim, to stand together, sending a clear message that hate has no place in Bury, while promoting solidarity, understanding, and community cohesion.”

Greater Manchester Police, Bury Council, emergency services, Manchester United Street Reds, military veterans, the homelessness team, and local residents will also be taking part.

Thickett said: “The BAME Project will also be supporting the day by providing a range of cultural food and drinks, as well as cultural dancers. The aim is for all ages, religions, genders, and communities to be represented, coming together as one.”

The BAME project; Believe, Achieve, Maintain, Exceed, is Bury’s initiative to integrate their diverse communities while focusing on health and wellbeing, both mentally and physically.

Heaton Park Synagogue was hit by a terrorist attack in October last year, the attack shook many of the local communities within Greater Manchester.

The ‘Red Card to Hate’ event is part of a wider programme to help these local communities who were affected by the terror attack.

Religious hate crime is on the rise, increasing by 3% across the UK as of March 2025.  Bury Council are aiming to tackle this statistic through football.

“We are using the universal language of sport to challenge prejudice, spark dialogue, and bring communities together.

“Sport brings people together by creating shared moments that cross cultural, social, and national divides,” Thickett said.

Bury Council is committed to preventing and reducing the levels of hate crime by ensuring the victims and witnesses of hate crime are supported and offenders are brought to justice.

More than 88% of reported hate crimes in the north-west are met with a conviction.

“The message of the event is clear: Kick off hate. Kick on unity.” Thickett said.

For more information about the campaign click here.