Stand Up Speak Up was an Europe -wide campaign that was launched in January 2005 by the
French Football player Thierry Henry
following an increase in reports of racist incidents in football across Europe. The campaign started when the
former Spanish footballer Luis Aragonés, at this time coach of Spain national
team, said these words towards his player and Henry's Arsenal teammate, José
Antonio Reyes: "You will show this black shit (Thierry Henry) that you´re
better than him" It led to Nike
creating the "Stand Up Speak Up" campaign. Together with Nike and
other top European players like Rio Ferdinand and Carlos Puyol, the protests
against this continuing problem inviting football fans to voice their
opposition to racism.
The symbol of the campaign is two interlocked wristbands, one black, and one
white. About five million of these wristbands have been sold all over Europe.
The wrist bands are no longer being sold and there is no intention to reproduce
them, but they are still available on the internet.