Arsenal Kitman Sacked Over Israel Posts Did Not Breach FA Rules

Arsenal fired a kit manager who Israel supporters accused of antisemitism even though the Football Association (FA) told the club he had not breached any of the governing body’s rules, an email seen by Novara Media shows.

Mark Bonnick, a vocal opponent of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, had worked at Arsenal for over 22 years before he was sacked on Christmas Eve 2024, after several media outlets circulated posts he had published on X. 

“We have been contacted by the media about the press reporting of social media posts by Mark Bonnick that refer to the Israel Palestine conflict,” an FA representative wrote to Arsenal in an email more than a week before Bonnick’s sacking. “Having assessed the content, we do not believe that the posts amount to a breach of FA rules.”

They added: “The FA now considers this matter to be closed.” 

“We understand that individuals are entitled to political views, but also urge due consideration when posting about this emotive matter,” the representative wrote.

The email, which Bonnick obtained via a data subject access request, included a document with pre-existing guidance about the subject of Gaza, which the FA representative asked Arsenal to share among staff.

“The governing body reviewed the posts, found no violation, and formally closed the matter,” said Tasnima Uddin, UK advocacy officer for the European Legal Support Centre, which is helping Bonnick with his unfair dismissal case against the club.

“Mr Bonnick’s Employment Tribunal claim seeks to establish that, rather than assessing the situation fairly, Arsenal failed to protect a long-serving member of staff from a coordinated smear campaign from pro-Israel accounts and allowed reputational pressure to override due process.”

She added: “This case highlights a clear racist double standard in British football; solidarity with Ukraine was embraced, while solidarity with Palestinians is treated as misconduct and antisemitic.” 

Bonnick said the fact the FA found no breach of their rules ought to “count for something”.  

“I’ve given 22 years of my life to Arsenal,” he told Novara Media. “To be dismissed despite that and despite my posts not being antisemitic has been devastating. I spoke out because I believe in justice and human rights. I never imagined that would cost me my livelihood.”

Among the posts that led to negative media coverage of Bonnick was one that said: “Hamas offered to release all hostages in October. Zionist Israel refused. Persecution complex.”

Another said: “It is all about Jewish supremacy & not wanting to share the land Ethnic cleansing.” In another post criticising Israel’s apartheid system, he wrote: “Why should they be protected anymore than any other community? Some see this as the problem Jewish communities thinking they should be put before others.”

Israel has killed well over 72,000 people in Gaza since October 2023, and has continued to commit almost daily massacres despite signing a so-called ceasefire agreement in October last year. 

Uddin’s organisation says Bonnick’s case represents a broader trend in Britain of people being targeted and punished for speaking out against the genocide.  

“Mr Bonnick broke no FA rules and posted nothing antisemitic,” she said, “yet he lost his livelihood. Arsenal fans have every right to ask what external pressure ultimately drove this decision.”

Novara Media contacted Arsenal and the FA for comment.