Protests against the owners of West Ham United were dramatically ramped up today when Hammers United chartered a plane to fly over Pirelli Stadium during the Hammers’ FA Cup victory against Burton Albion this afternoon.
At precisely the 15-minute mark, as West Ham supporters inside the ground held up red cards to signal their dissatisfaction with the board, the aircraft passed overhead trailing a banner reading:
“Sullivan & Brady Out – No More BS.”
The moment was captured on camera by both BBC and TNT Sports, giving the protest huge national exposure.
From Hammers United’s perspective, it was mission accomplished.
The fly-by was timed perfectly to coincide with the coordinated red-card protest in the stands, amplifying the message and ensuring it reached a far wider audience than a traditional banner ever could.
Fans Forced Into Creative Protest
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The move comes amid growing frustration among supporters, with recent reports of fans being banned for carrying “board out” banners and West Ham Fan TV being moved from their usual filming spot outside the [London Stadium](https://www.claretandhugh.info/something-is-broken-at-london-stadium-and-west-ham-fans-are-paying-the-price/).
It increasingly appears those counter-measures have pushed fan groups into more creative forms of protest — and today’s aerial demonstration suggests they’re far from done.
With voices being silenced on the ground, Hammers United quite literally took their message to the skies.
And judging by the scale of exposure, it’s hard to argue it didn’t work.
Expect more inventive campaigning in the weeks ahead.