Arsenal kit man sacked for social media post breaks silence after finding new job

Former kit man Mark Bonnick has broken his silence after landing a new job away from football. The ex-equipment manager is currently suing the club for unfair dismissal, alleging that he was discriminated against because of his views on social media.

Bonnick, who worked at the club from the early 2000s, spoke publicly about his opposition to and claimed that his dismissal in December was "discriminatory" and said that it was based on his "philosophical anti-Zionist belief." He was suspended and then sacked six months ago after Arsenal were made aware of a series of posts referring to . He said that the posts were not anti-semitic, but legitimate anti-Zionist beliefs.

Bonnick has since taken up a job as a labourer and spoken out against his sacking outside Emirates Stadium, telling : "My name is Mark Bonnick and I was fired by Arsenal football club for speaking up for .

"I've been at Arsenal since the 2001/2002 season as a casual and ended up as a full-time kit man until 2024, so I did 22 years at Arsenal.

"I had been speaking on Twitter, X, which I had been doing for years. Obviously been called anti-semitic sometimes and I'll swear because I never was. A guy accused me of being a neo-Nazi, then found out where I worked, told everybody that I worked at Arsenal and then there was a pile-on me.

"It was cyberbullying. He told me what he was going to do, go to the FA, police, the club, tell them I was anti-semitic, which he duly did.

"The investigation found there was no anti-semitism, they found that I had gross misconduct, I had brought the club into disrepute, basically being offensive and inflammatory.

"A lot of the people who suddenly became offended, weren't offended by what I had said or told me that they were offended until they were told to be offended. I am worried what people think about me, do they think I am some racist or anti-semitic?"

Bonnick insists that he does not regret speaking about Palestine but has "fallen out of love" with football as a result of his sacking and is struggling in his new job.

"I have had to go onto a building site and as a labourer," he explained. "I am fortunate enough that a friend of mine has given me work. But I am a little bit old to be labouring, I won't be able to keep this up.

"I could have worked until I am 70 at Arsenal as a kit man, which I had planned to do, I am obviously struggling work-wise as a labourer."