Greenpeace Is Calling On Habs Fans To Paint Over The RBC Logo On The New Jerseys
"Canada's largest fossil fuel bank is trying to protect its image and appeal to sports fans."
Montreal Canadiens wearing new jerseys with RBC logo.
On September 12, the Montreal Canadiens announced a multi-year partnership with the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), which will have Habs players sporting the bank's logo on their jerseys. Many NHL fans were livid over the change, taking to social media to share their strongly worded disapproval.
Well, sports fans aren't the only ones peeved over the jersey's new look. Greenpeace, a network of independent organizations that promote non-violent action to protect the environment, is criticizing the Canadiens' decision to partner with RBC over the bank's ties to fossil fuels.
\u201cUne fois de plus, RBC, la plus grande banque fossile canadienne, tente de prot\u00e9ger son image et de s\u00e9duire les amateur\u00b7trices de sport. @RBCfr, si vous vous souciez r\u00e9ellement du futur des jeunes, cessez de financer les combustibles fossiles!!\n#BanquesFossiles #lnh\u201d— Greenpeace Qu\u00e9bec (@Greenpeace Qu\u00e9bec) 1663004574
"Once again, RBC, Canada's largest fossil fuel bank, is trying to protect its image and appeal to sports fans. RBC, if you really care about the future of young people, stop funding fossil fuels!!" Greenpeace Quebec tweeted.
Greenpeace Canada campaigner Patrick Bonin also tweeted a response: "WO! @CanadiensMTL is partnering with RBC, Canada's biggest contributor to climate change and the fifth-largest fossil fuel bank in the world, having given $260B (2016-2021) in support of fossil fuels and NOT respecting Indigenous rights."
Greenpeace is now urging fans who purchase the new hockey jersey to paint over the logo. "We're calling on fans who are planning to buy a jersey and asking them to paint the RBC logo black. Because that's what this company is doing, it's literally sullying the Sainte-Flanelle," Patrick Bonin said in an interview with the Canadian Press.
Despite the backlash, Groupe CH president of sports and entertainment France Margaret Bélanger confirmed to the Canadian Club of Montreal that the RBC logo will remain on the Habs jersey.