Millwall Badge on KKK Robe Shocks Fans: Westminster Apology, London 2026

Key Points

• Millwall Football Club, a second-division English soccer team from southeast London, was featured in a children’s anti-racism booklet with its badge edited onto a Ku Klux Klan robe illustration.
• The booklet, distributed in London primary schools by Westminster City Council, tells the story of Paul Canoville, a Black former Chelsea player who faced racial abuse.
• The illustration depicts a Ku Klux Klan member with Millwall’s logo next to a Canoville quote about abuse at Millwall.
• Westminster City Council has apologized, removed the booklet from circulation, and admitted the image was “insensitive.”
• The Paul Canoville Foundation clarified it depicts a real 1980s incident involving Chelsea Reserves vs Millwall Reserves, but the foundation was not consulted.
• Neil Coyle, Labour MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, called the misuse of Millwall branding “an insult” to southeast London.
• Millwall Supporters’ Club expressed outrage, stating the portrayal is a “deeply damaging misrepresentation” that ignores the fanbase’s anti-discrimination efforts.
• Millwall is considering legal action over the “false and damaging image” created by the imagery.
• Kensington and Chelsea Council, whose logo appears on the pamphlet, supports its withdrawal.
• The incident occurs as Millwall vies for Premier League promotion, tied on points with Ipswich but trailing on goal difference; Millwall faces relegated Leicester on Friday night, while Ipswich plays West Brom on Saturday.
• Millwall has a history of hooliganism from the 1970s-80s but has since launched anti-discrimination initiatives, including the first such organization at an English club in 1994, and partnerships with Kick It Out and Show Racism the Red Card.
• Recent incidents include 2013 FA Cup fan clashes, 2020 booing of players taking a knee (followed by respect for gestures), and offensive chanting in September 2025 at Crystal Palace, leading to a £45,000 fine from the English Football Association—the third breach in three years.

LONDON (The Londoner News) April 24, 2026 — Millwall Football Club’s efforts to shed its notorious past have suffered a setback after a children’s anti-racism booklet featured the southeast London club’s badge superimposed on a Ku Klux Klan robe. The Westminster City Council, responsible for distributing the pamphlet in primary schools, has apologized and withdrawn it from circulation. The club is now weighing legal action amid outrage from fans, politicians, and supporters’ groups, as reported by the Associated Press.

What Caused the Controversy Surrounding Millwall’s Badge?

The uproar stems from an educational pamphlet aimed at tackling racism in football, which inadvertently linked Millwall to the infamous Ku Klux Klan.

As detailed in the Associated Press report, the booklet narrates the experiences of Paul Canoville, a Black player who endured racial abuse while at Chelsea in the 1980s. One page shows a figure in a white Ku Klux Klan-style robe bearing Millwall’s lion emblem on the chest, paired with a quote from Canoville about abuse he received at Millwall.

The Paul Canoville Foundation issued a statement clarifying the context, as covered by the Associated Press:

“This is a depiction of a real incident Paul experienced whilst playing for Chelsea Reserves against Millwall Reserves in the 1980s, in which he was subjected to serious racial abuse by a number of individuals wearing Ku Klux Klan-style white hoods.”

The foundation emphasized it was not consulted on the booklet’s contents.

Westminster City Council responded swiftly in a statement quoted by the Associated Press:

“We accept the use of this image was an insensitive way to illustrate the historic problem of racism within football. We have apologized to Millwall Football Club for the improper use of their logo and for any offense caused.”

The council confirmed the booklet has been pulled from distribution.

Kensington and Chelsea Council, whose logo graces the pamphlet’s front cover, told the Associated Press: “We understand the booklet is being withdrawn, and support that decision.” A spokesperson for the council reiterated this position, underscoring cross-authority alignment on the matter.

How Has Millwall Reacted to the Booklet Incident?

Millwall Football Club expressed deep dismay, stating it is considering legal action. According to the Associated Press, the club described the imagery as creating “a false and damaging image of the club.”

This comes at a pivotal moment, with the team eyeing its first Premier League promotion since the 1989-90 season.

The Millwall Supporters’ Club voiced strong condemnation on Friday, as reported by the Associated Press:

“Outraged… this deeply damaging misrepresentation does not reflect our club or a fanbase that works tirelessly to eradicate discrimination of any kind from the game.”

The group highlighted ongoing community efforts against prejudice.

Labour MP Neil Coyle, representing Bermondsey and Old Southwark, told the Associated Press on Friday: “The decision to use the Millwall branding is an insult to southeast London frankly,” praising the club’s community contributions.

What Is Millwall’s Historical Reputation in English Football?

Millwall’s image has long been tarnished by hooliganism during England’s darkest football eras in the 1970s and 1980s. Hardcore fans infamously chanted, “No one likes us, we don’t care,” as chronicled in the Associated Press coverage. These episodes cemented a checkered legacy.

Yet, the club has actively reformed. In 1994, Millwall established the first anti-discrimination body at an English football club, according to its own records cited by the Associated Press. It maintains robust ties with organizations like Kick It Out and Show Racism the Red Card.

Recent Challenges to Millwall’s Improved Image

Despite progress, setbacks persist. During the 2013 FA Cup semifinal against Wigan at Wembley Stadium, Millwall fans clashed with each other and police, as noted in the Associated Press report.

In December 2020, players faced boos for taking a knee before kickoff, prompting a printed statement distributed to fans entering The Den: “The eyes of the world are on this football club tonight — your club — and they want us to fail.” That evening, supporters respected anti-racism gestures from both teams, per the Associated Press.

Most recently, in a September 2025 League Cup match at Crystal Palace, Millwall fans engaged in offensive chanting about disabilities.

The English Football Association recommended a partial stadium closure to its disciplinary commission, which deemed the chants “abhorrent” and fined the club £45,000 ($60,000) instead. This marked the third breach in three years, with prior incidents targeting religion and sexual orientation, as detailed by the Associated Press.

Why Is the Timing of This Incident Critical for Millwall?

The scandal unfolds as Millwall chases Championship glory. Coventry has secured the title and automatic promotion. Millwall and Ipswich are locked on points for the second automatic spot, but Ipswich leads on goal difference and has three games left to Millwall’s two, according to the Associated Press.

Millwall faces already-relegated Leicester on Friday night, while Ipswich travels to West Brom on Saturday. The top two finishers ascend directly; teams third to sixth enter playoffs for the final Premier League place.

This promotion push amplifies the damage from the booklet, potentially undermining morale and public perception at a make-or-break juncture.

What Broader Lessons Emerge from the Anti-Racism Booklet Fiasco?

The episode underscores the perils of visual storytelling in anti-racism education. While intending to highlight Paul Canoville’s ordeal—real abuse from individuals in Ku Klux Klan-style hoods during a 1980s reserve match—the pamphlet’s editing choice sparked unintended backlash. The Paul Canoville Foundation’s non-involvement highlights gaps in consultation.

Westminster City Council’s apology sets a precedent for accountability, as does Kensington and Chelsea’s endorsement of withdrawal. For Millwall, it reinforces the challenge of escaping a 40-year-old shadow amid modern scrutiny.

Politicians like Neil Coyle and fan groups like Millwall Supporters’ Club frame it as an affront to progress, with the club’s legal considerations signaling potential ramifications for branding misuse.

As Millwall navigates promotion aspirations, this incident tests its resilience. The Associated Press notes the club’s pioneering anti-discrimination work, yet repeated fines remind that perception battles persist.

In British football’s evolving landscape, where initiatives like Kick It Out thrive, such missteps risk reversing gains. Stakeholders await Millwall’s next moves—on the pitch and in court—while councils reflect on vetting educational materials.