Racist hockey fans taunt black player and family, Montreal Canadiens respond

This past weekend during a minor league game in rural Quebec some truly DESPICABLE hockey fans showed themselves for what they really are: ignorant, racist idiots.

In case you missed it, Jonathan Diaby of the Jonquiere Marquis in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) received some truly awful abuse from fans during a game against the St. Jerome Petroliers du Nord.

Diaby, who is African-Canadian, was serving a penalty in the first period when some fans started hurling racist remarks his way. From there, things got even uglier. Check out this account of the events from CTV Montreal:

When Diaby, who is black, was sent to the penalty box in the first period the so-called ‘fans’ began shouting racist insults.

One racist kept up a stream of invectives for several minutes as he leaned over the sides of the penalty box to harass Diaby, and waved his arms like a gorilla and showed Diaby images of a baboon on his phone.

Others in the stands said Diaby should be eating bananas.

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Are you kidding me!? What year is it!? Get these racist a-holes OUTTA HERE!

Unfortunately, things got worse…

Again from CTV Montreal:

They also harassed Diaby's family, with several people crowding around them, pushing and hitting his father and pouring beer on his girlfriend.

At one point dozens of people surrounded Diaby's father and girlfriend as he told the bigots to be respectful.

In the second period Diaby was hit in the face with a stick and the referee sent him to the penalty box again -- but instead, Diaby waited out the time in the dressing room in hopes of minimizing the torment.

During the game the Marquis's captain asked the referee to intervene, and to make sure Diaby would be escorted by security guards out of the arena. That did not happen.

Diaby left the game during the second period and went to join his family in the stands, and they left the arena before the game ended.

Diaby said that despite reports, he and his loved ones did not get escorted out by police. Instead they were left to defend themselves as they went away.

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The LNAH has since come forward condemning the actions of the people involved and have vowed to take action. Now, the Montreal Canadiens have come forward in an attempt to stand up for Diaby and his family.

Check it out:

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Respect to the entire Habs organization. They had no part in this insanity, but they took it upon themselves to enter the conversation and hold people’s feet to the fire. Respect.