'Traveller Lives Matter' protest planned outside Morecambe pub during Shrimps match against Newcastle

The protest has been organised by the Traveller community in the Morecambe area, after heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury posted a video on social media showing two men being denied entry to the pub.

Fury uploaded the clip to social media and said: “Racism in Lancaster 2020.

“How is this even possible in today’s society? Totally unacceptable behaviour. Racism at work.”

A spokesperson for the local group under the banner "Traveller Lives Matter" said the protest was being staged to highlight the way the Traveller community is treated "not just in Morecambe, but across the UK".

The video shows a doorman telling a man and his father that it was company policy, based on advice from the local authority, not to allow Travellers into the pub, following an incident a few weeks ago where two groups refused to socially distance.

The pub is run by Marston's, which has denied it has a blanket ban on Travellers and said the doorman made a mistake.

Lancaster City Council has also described the claim as "categorically untrue".

The Traveller community spokesperson said: "We're organising the rally to highlight how the travelling community is being treated, not just in Morecambe, but across the UK.

"We feel discriminated against and we don't think an establishment should be able to act in this way.

"We want to make everyone aware of it, we feel like we're being excluded and we just want to be a part of our society."

The protest will start at 7pm, prior to Morecambe FC's match, which starts at 7.45pm.