Anti-racism protesters have gathered around a mural of Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford, which was vandalized amid a barrage of vitriol directed at England players.

Hundreds gathered throughout the day at an England player mural in Manchester's Withington neighborhood, which had been defaced with racist graffiti after Rashford and his black teammates Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were targeted online following the team's Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy on Sunday.

Kate Caine, 42, said she was "disgusted at the behavior of the people after Sunday night and the racist comments" against a backdrop of touching words and England flags hung on the mural in Rashford's hometown.

"I'm a Mancunian born and bred and proud to be a Mancunian and I'm so proud of what Marcus Rashford has done for this country," she continued.

Rashford, 23, had become a hero to many inside and outside football by successfully lobbying British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to provide free school meals for underprivileged children during the coronavirus pandemic before being attacked by trolls after missing a penalty in the shoot-out defeat by Italy.

Ohmar, 17, said he came down to the painting to leave some comments and express his support.

"Something like this is unworthy of a player like him. No player does, because he has done so much to help his country throughout the pandemic, including feeding the orphaned children "he stated '

'Internet's dark corners'

As he prepared to meet with social media executives following a barrage of abuse directed at England players, Johnson's government was compelled to dismiss accusations of hypocrisy regarding racism in football.

Rashford said he will "never apologize for who I am" in an emotional message after being one of three black players harassed by racists online following the weekend's loss to the Azzurri.

When he saw the painting covered in messages of encouragement, the striker stated he was "on the verge of tears"

Tyrone Mings, Rashford's England teammate, said Home Secretary Priti Patel had "stoked the fire" by defending fans who booed players who took the knee.

Patel had earlier dubbed kneeling "gesture politics" and Johnson, who has fought a ferocious verbal battle on so-called woke politics, had equivocated on the matter for days.

But, amid uncertainties about whether Downing Street can now carry out a plan to welcome the players to a post-tournament reception, his spokesperson reiterated that the prime minister had always intended people to support the team.

According to the spokesman, Johnson informed his ministers at a cabinet meeting that "the abuse was utterly disgraceful and has emerged from the dark spaces of the internet"

The prime minister will "reiterate the urgent need for action, ahead of tougher laws coming into force" in Britain, he said in a meeting with officials of social media companies later Tuesday.

Mings' and even some Conservative MPs' accusations of hypocrisy leveled at the government are particularly damaging for Johnson, while the England team basks in popular sympathy following its agonizing loss.

"Marcus Rashford is a black 23-year-old from Withington and Wythenshawe in South Manchester. I have that if I don't have anything else "Manchester United's striker used to Twitter to express his feelings.

"I can take criticism all day long, my penalty was not good enough, it should have gone in," Rashford added. "But I will never apologize for who I am and where I came from."

Getting down on one knee

Following the death of George Floyd by a white police officer in the United States last year, Premier League clubs have taken a knee.

Patel had called the three players' racial insults "disgusting" on Monday, but Mings retaliated with a biting retort.

"You don't get to stoke the fire at the beginning of the tournament by labeling our anti-racism message as 'Gesture Politics' and then pretend to be disgusted when the very thing we're campaigning against, happens," he tweeted.

Gareth Southgate, England's manager, called the internet abuse "unforgivable" and captain Harry Kane also slammed the bullies.

He stated, "They deserve support and backing, not the vile racist abuse they've had,"

"If you abuse anyone on social media you're not an England fan and we don't want you."

The English Football Association has likewise strongly condemned the racist assaults. Prince William, the country's president, described the abuse as "sickened"