Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Lee Escobedo

Boston has a race and sports problem. But it’s hardly alone among ‘liberal’ cities

Marcus Smart has spoken about being on the receiving end of racist abuse from one of his own fans
Marcus Smart has spoken about being on the receiving end of racist abuse from one of his own fans. Photograph: Brynn Anderson/AP

Celtics wing Jaylen Brown shocked many when he recently spoke about Boston fans’ treatment of Black players. Asked by the New York Times if he had received any negative treatment from the Boston fanbase, he said: “I definitely think there’s a group or an amount within the Celtic nation that is extremely toxic and does not want to see athletes use their platform, or they just want you to play basketball and entertain and go home. And that’s a problem to me.”

We know the Maga-influenced cities across America are trying to turn back the clock on social and racial issues. But an equally dangerous form of racism exists in gentrified, majority-white, and left-leaning US cities. And that prejudice often emerges among sections of those cities’ sports fans.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.