Oscar-winning filmmaker urges Arsenal to reconsider kitman's dismissal over Gaza posts

Oscar-winning filmmaker urges Arsenal to reconsider kitman's dismissal over Gaza posts Submitted by Areeb Ullah on Fri, 04/24/2026 - 12:38 Jon Blair tells MEE his support for Mark Bonnick is informed by his own Jewish identity and sense of outrage over Israeli war crimes Blair argued that Arsenal's handling of the case, rather than the former kitman's social media posts, could damage the club's reputation ahead of an employment tribunal (AFP) Off An award-winning Jewish filmmaker has urged Arsenal Football Club to reverse its decision to dismiss a long-serving kitman over comments he posted on social media criticising Israel's conduct of its war on Gaza. In a letter, Jon Blair, an Oscar, Emmy and BAFTA-winning director, voiced support for Mark Bonnick, who had been employed by the English Premier League club for 24 years at the time he was sacked in 2024. Middle East Eye has previously reported on Bonnick's case.