Former kit manager sues Arsenal after being sacked for anti-Israel comments

A erstwhile Arsenal kit manager is suing the nine for wrongful dismissal, alleging helium was discriminated against due to the fact that of his absorption to Israel. Mark Bonnick, who worked astatine the nine from the aboriginal 2000s, alleges his dismissal was “discriminatory” owing to it being based connected his “philosophical anti-Zionist belief”.

Bonnick was suspended and past sacked successful December 2024 aft Arsenal were alerted to a bid of posts helium had made connected societal media referring to Israel’s warfare successful Gaza. Bonnick says that his posts were not antisemitic but motivated by morganatic anti-Zionist beliefs.

In his ineligible submission, Bonnick refers to 5 replies connected X successful November and December past year, including: “Yes it is each astir Jewish supremacy & not wanting to stock the onshore Ethnic cleansing”; “Why should they beryllium protected anymore than immoderate different community? Some spot this arsenic the occupation Jewish communities reasoning they should beryllium enactment earlier others”; “What astir the Jews that onslaught Christians?”

Bonnick’s posts besides said “Hamas offered to merchandise each hostages successful October. Zionist Israel refused. Persecution complex”; and connected that connection helium besides posted: “You abandoned them … Refused to bring them location … Your soundlessness was deafening … Now you privation others to shriek … Morals integrity honesty nary … Mark of Cain.”

Bonnick says his notation to “Mark of Cain” was a quote from a statement made by Israel’s past defence minister, Yoav Gallant, the erstwhile month.

Bonnick told the Guardian helium was taking the ineligible enactment successful an effort to reconstruct his reputation, which helium argues has been sullied by allegations of antisemitism. According to Bonnick’s submission Arsenal’s probe into the posts did not impeach him of antisemitism but said they could beryllium “perceived arsenic inflammatory oregon offensive” and had “brought the nine into disrepute”. Bonnick is seeking damages and reinstatement.

Bonnick said: “I privation them to admit what they’ve done to maine is incorrect and that they should not person sacked me. I judge successful lasting up for what’s right, particularly erstwhile you spot injustice, and I consciousness powerfully against what Israel is doing successful Gaza.

“I’ve tweeted connected assorted issues, including football, Brexit, racism, weapon transgression and politics. It lone became a occupation erstwhile I tweeted astir Israel, which led to a pile-on online and radical contacting the club.”

Bonnick, 61, who worked his mode up from casual Arsenal coaching roles successful the aboriginal 2000s to a full-time kitman presumption supporting the younker teams, says helium was devastated by the mode helium was “discarded” aft years of service.

His assertion – which is expected to beryllium heard adjacent twelvemonth – alleges that Arsenal acted unfairly and without owed process. It accuses the nine of bowing to online unit successful what helium describes arsenic a “kneejerk effect to manufactured outrage”.

Bonnick was sacked connected 24 December and mislaid his entreaty against the sacking connected 14 February.

His lawyers mention the lawsuit of the world David Miller wherever an employment tribunal recovered his “anti-Zionist” beliefs qualified arsenic a “philosophical content and a protected characteristic” nether the Equality Act 2010.

His lawyer, Franck Magennis, who is being instructed by the European Legal Support Centre, said: “Mark Bonnick was close to talk out, successful accordance with his profoundly held anti-Zionist beliefs, against Israel’s nakedly racist unit and the assemblage ideology that justifies it. Arsenal FC dismissed him successful an unfair and discriminatory manner; they should admit their mistake and springiness him his occupation back.”

Arsenal were approached for comment.

According to Bonnick’s submission, helium was told by Arsenal’s typical aft an investigation: “The comments you made connected ‘X’ could beryllium perceived arsenic inflammatory oregon offensive. And arsenic a result, your posts connected ‘X’ brought the nine into disrepute. This breached the presumption of your employment declaration and the club’s societal media policy, which explicitly states that societal media indispensable not beryllium utilized successful a mode that brings the nine into disrepute.

“While we recognise the comments were made from your idiosyncratic ‘X’ account, the relationship was acceptable to ‘public’, and successful your ain sanction and it was intelligibly imaginable to place you arsenic an worker of the club. Engaging successful online statement connected specified arguable taxable and making comments that were recovered to beryllium highly violative and inflammatory, displayed a implicit deficiency of judgement and disregard for the club’s policies and values. I besides consciousness that your behaviour and mediocre judgement has irreparably damaged the narration of spot betwixt you, the club, its protagonist communities and employees. That’s wherefore we’ve travel to this decision.”