Man City fans filmed singing ‘you’re getting gassed in the morning’
Supporters of the Manchester club were condemned after sickening chants were heard before a fixture with Spurs
Greater Manchester Police are investigating reports of football fans singing anti-Semitic chants referring to gas chambers, ahead of a fixture against Tottenham Hotspur.
A video emerged of Manchester City supporters singing “F*** off you f****** y***. F****** gas isn’t good enough for ya”, ahead of a fixture between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur on the weekend.
One passenger told the Mirror, that two City fans next to him had also chanted “You’re getting gassed in the morning”, before adding he had reported the incident to the Greater Manchester Police.
Commenting on the report of this anti-Semitic behaviour, Former Football Association Director and current Chief Executive of the Jewfish Leadership Council Simon Johnson said: “I am immensely disappointed that, yet again, a minority of supporters of a football club choose to engage in anti-Semitic chanting.
It is incumbent upon all clubs, and the football authorities, to take extra measures to prevent this from happening and rapidly identify the culprits.”
The incident has been criticised by Jonathan Arkush, the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the national representative organisation of the UK Jewish community.
“Sick racist chanting has been an enduring part of the football scene in this country for far too long now,” he said in a statement released to Press Association Sport.
“It is a criminal offence. The perpetrators should be arrested and feel the full force of the law.”
A spokesman for City has said the club “strongly condemns the use of any anti-Semitic language” and would be cooperating with any investigation into the matter.
Police have said they are investigating the incident.
Superintendent Steve Howard, from the City of Manchester Division, said: ”Following recent media coverage, Greater Manchester Police have been made aware of a video showing people chanting anti-Semitic songs.
”We believe those involved were heading for the football match between Manchester City and Tottenham on Saturday, January 21 2017.
”This has yet to be formally reported to police however we have now launched an investigation and we are treating this as a hate crime.
”We would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the incident or has video footage to contact police as soon as possible.
”There is no place in society for such abhorrent behaviour and we will not tolerate hate crime of any sort in Greater Manchester.”
The game ended as a 2-2 draw as goals from Dele Alli and Son Heung-min earned Spurs a point after City surrendered a two-goal lead, given to them by Leroy Sane and Kevin De Bruyne.
Tottenham fans have previously been subject to anti-Semitic abuse due to the club’s historical links with the east London Jewish community.
According to the Mirror, the incident occurred on a tram travelling in the city centre, just after 5pm on Saturday afternoon.
Greater Manchester Police have been asked for comment.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
