‘Take a stand against use of Y-word’, UK and international Jewish leaders urge
World Jewish Congress and the Board of Deputies call on fans of Spurs and other London clubs to stop using the term
The World Jewish Congress and the Board of Deputies of British Jews have condemned the use of the Y-word to describe Tottenham supporters.
Spurs fans use the Y-word in large numbers, often about themselves, and there have been alleged uses of the word by fans from rival clubs, including Chelsea and Arsenal, in the last month.
The warning from the World Jewish Congress in New York comes just four days before Tottenham play Chelsea in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-finals at Wembley.
“Contrary to the protests of many fans, there is no grey area when it comes to slurs that target a particular religious, racial, or ethnic group,” said WJC chief executive Robert Singer.
“The word yid has for years been re-appropriated from its original Yiddish to carry a distinctly pejorative and antisemitic message and its use by fans in the stands, either as a self-designated nickname or as a slogan against rivals must not be tolerated in any way.
“The innocence this word once carried, as a simple translation for Jew, has long disappeared, and we must be extremely conscious of the antisemitic connotation it now bears.”
Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck said in December that the club, including owner Roman Abramovich, who is Jewish, would “not rest until we have eliminated all forms of discrimination from our club”, and insisted the use of the Y-word by Spurs fans was not a defence.
Singer added: “There has sadly been a long history of hooliganism and extremist behaviour within football, particularly in England, and we hope that the actions being taken in good faith by Chelsea’s leadership to take punitive measures against any supporters that violate this code of conduct will help establish the groundwork for more tolerance among fans of all teams.
“We would also ask Tottenham Hotspur FC to take a stand against the use of ‘Yid Army’, ‘Yid’ and ‘Yiddos’ by their fans.”
This comes after it was announced earlier this week, that Chelsea fans will travel to Tottenham with their own club stewards in-tow next week in an unusual move aimed at curbing supporters’ continued antisemitic chanting.
While Tottenham fans often travel to away matches with their own stewards, the Stamford Bridge club – which is owned by Jewish billionaire Roman Abramovich – has seldom done likewise, meaning Chelsea’s decision marks a change in tactics.
The issue of Chelsea fans’ antisemitic chanting was repeatedly raised last year, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn even wading in to warn travelling supporters against singing offensive songs. But the matter remains problematic, with chants about “Yids” heard during Chelsea’s last two games, against Watford and Crystal Palace.
Chelsea supporters are believed to be aggrieved that Tottenham fans are legally able to use the word ‘Yid’ in reference to themselves, since they see it as “reclaiming” the terms, whereas Chelsea fans using the same word will be ejected.
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.
