A former Arsenal kit manager, Mark Bonnick, has initiated legal proceedings against the Premier League club, claiming unfair dismissal and alleging discrimination based on his “philosophical anti-Zionist belief.” His dismissal in December 2024 followed a series of social media posts he made concerning Israel’s Gaza genocide.
Bonnick, who had been employed by Arsenal in various capacities since the early 2000s, contends that his posts were not antisemitic but were motivated by legitimate anti-Zionist convictions. According to his legal submission, these posts on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) in November and December of the previous year included comments such as, “Yes it is all about Jewish supremacy & not wanting to share the land Ethnic cleansing,” and questioning if “Jewish communities thinking they should be put before others” was a problem. Another post referenced Hamas allegedly offering to release hostages, which he claimed “Zionist Israel refused.” Bonnick stated that a reference to the “Mark of Cain” in one post was a direct quote from Israel’s then-defence minister, Yoav Gallant.
Arsenal suspended and subsequently terminated Bonnick’s employment after being alerted to these posts. Bonnick’s legal submission indicates that while Arsenal’s investigation did not formally accuse him of antisemitism, the club determined his posts could be “perceived as inflammatory or offensive” and had “brought the club into disrepute.”
In the dismissal reasoning provided to Bonnick, Arsenal stated: “The comments you made on ‘X’ could be perceived as inflammatory or offensive. And as a result, your posts on ‘X’ brought the club into disrepute. This breached the terms of your employment contract and the club’s social media policy… Engaging in online debate on such controversial topic and making comments that were found to be highly offensive and inflammatory, displayed a complete lack of judgment and disregard for the club’s policies and values.5 I also feel that your conduct and poor judgement has irreparably damaged the relationship of trust between you, the club, its supporter communities and employees.”
Bonnick, 61, told The Guardian he is pursuing legal action to restore his reputation and is seeking damages and reinstatement. “I want them to acknowledge what they’ve done to me is wrong and that they should not have sacked me,” he said. “I believe in standing up for what’s right, especially when you see injustice, and I feel strongly against what Israel is doing in Gaza.” He alleges the club bowed to online pressure in a “kneejerk response to manufactured outrage.”
Bonnick was officially dismissed on December 24, 2024, and his appeal against the decision was rejected on February 14, 2025. His legal representatives cite the case of academic David Miller, where an employment tribunal determined that “anti-Zionist” beliefs qualified as a “philosophical belief and a protected characteristic” under the Equality Act 2010.
Franck Magennis, Bonnick’s lawyer, supported by the European Legal Support Centre, commented: “Mark Bonnick was right to speak out, in accordance with his deeply held anti-Zionist beliefs, against Israel’s nakedly racist violence and the colonial ideology that justifies it. Arsenal FC dismissed him in an unfair and discriminatory manner; they should admit their mistake and give him his job back.”
The case is expected to be heard by an employment tribunal next year. Arsenal has been approached for comment on the matter.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.