Everton ‘appalled’ as Anne Frank photo used in Covid-19 tribute video

Everton leadership has reportedly been left “appalled” after a tribute honouring supporters who died during the Covid-19 pandemic was hijacked by fans.

The club posted a four minute video on its social media channels, as well as the message: “We’ve lost far, far too many Evertonians over the course of the pandemic. We wish they could all be here with us today. RIP Blues”.

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But while most people could understand the gravity of the tribute with more than 131,000 deaths due to Covid-19 in the UK, some people couldn’t help themselves.

Featuring submissions from hundreds of fans after a call out at the beginning of the month, an image of Anne Frank was added to the video as well as names such as Faye Knewse.

While the prank names caught some people’s attention, it was the image of Frank that infuriated fans with anger equally divided between the club and the people who had submitted the images.

A screenshot of the image featuring Anne Frank.Source:Twitter

Anne Frank was a victim of the Holocaust, having died at age 15 after hiding from the Nazis after the Netherlands was invaded in 1942. She wrote a diary which has become one of the most famous artefacts from World War II as she and her family hid for two years before they were captured in 1944. She died in 1945 after being transferred from Auschwitz to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

It took Everton almost seven hours to replace the video.

Britain’s Press Association reported that club officials were “appalled” about the sabotage.

But fans were appalled that the video was up for so long and that there was no statement from the club over the issue.

Evening Standard Assistant Sports Editor Michael Weinstein wrote: “Did you not get someone sensible to check this?’ Great idea ruined because no one in your media department can sub. Anne Frank picture, Mike Oxmall. Faye Knews. Feel for the families of the bereaved.”

Journalist Otto English tweeted: “It’s one thing to be tricked into including a photo of Anne Frank it’s quite another to leave it up. It’s completely distracting from your intention.”

Anne Frank?! https://t.co/YqfxrHznWxpic.twitter.com/o9bNHkLB3F

What I don’t get is not every name mentioned has had a photo uploaded, so who was the sub editor who chose to include the picture of Anne Frank and not check it? https://t.co/xgAsxGeDpr

It's 2021 and Anne Frank is trending under 'Sports' because Everton thinks she's someone who died during the pandemic.
We have wandered so far from the path.

There’s an Anne Frank picture in this and I must admit the trend of pranking people with photos of dead children really does seem supremely unfunny to me. And it’s worrying but unsurprising that it went up with nobody at the the club’s end realising who it was. https://t.co/RJAa1ebRyk

Mike Oxsmall, Anne Frank and Faye Knewse. Everton tribute gets pranked.
Dark comedy in the UK. pic.twitter.com/R6BarHaOHI

Very unfair indeed to apportion any blame towards Everton.

Not everyone in 2021 would know who Anne Frank is or what she looked like, especially a media team who would rightly expect people to act like adults.

Everton did everything right. https://t.co/IRy3HBXH9h

The video was posted on the first weekend of the new Premier League season and soured Everton’s 3-1 win over Southampton.

Everton players acknowledge the crowd after the first game win.Source:Getty Images

Everton find themselves in good company over the fan submissions going wrong however.

Last season when the NRL season was taken behind closed doors, cardboard cutouts were used in lieu of fans, with some putting forward pictures of their dogs or other random images.

But it also took a dark turn when someone discovered an image of Harold Shipman, an English doctor and serial killer who was found guilty of the murder of 15 patients, with estimates he may have killed more than 250 victims.

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