West Ham United ‘disgusted’ over ‘f****** Jew’ chants on train
London club issues statement saying it's 'taking immediate action to try to identify the offenders' after complaints
West Ham have vowed to take immediate action against a group of apparent supporters filmed engaging in antisemitic chants prior to Saturday’s Premier League match against Manchester United.
A video circulating on social media shows the group chanting abuse about rivals Tottenham on a tram prior to the match at Old Trafford, which the Hammers lost 2-1.
During the clip, chants heard include: “We’ll be running round Tottenham with out w***** hanging out, singing I’ve got a foreskin how about you, f****** Jew!”
A club spokesman said: “We are disgusted by the contents of the video circulating on social media this evening.
“We are taking immediate action to try to identify the offenders, whose details we will be handing over to the police and will be banned for life from London Stadium and from travelling with the club.”
The incident comes just two days after a group of Chelsea supporters were filmed singing an Islamophobic chant prior to their Europa League match against Slavia Prague.
The West Ham statement continued: “West Ham United is unequivocal in its stance – there is no place for this kind of behaviour at our club.
“We do not want people like this associated with West Ham United. They are not welcome at our club, they are not welcome in civilised society.”
West Ham United are disgusted by video footage circulating on social media tonight. The Club has issued a statement.https://t.co/eVCXTGzmis
— West Ham United (@WestHamUtd) April 13, 2019
Kick It Out, a charity working to eradicate discrimination and hate from sport tweeted: “We received a report of a video of a group of West Ham fans chanting vile antisemitic abuse today. We welcome the swift and positive response of West Ham Utd and support the club’s determination to ban the perpetrators.”
Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman welcomed the “swift and welcome statement from West Ham Utd. Yesterday it was anti-Jewish hatred, but a small number of supporters seem to think it’s OK to chant and sing disgusting racist slurs. It is not OK. More must be done to create a real culture change to stop this.”
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Michelle Richman posted the clip of the group chanting antisemitic songs online, saying that “as a football fan and the daughter of a holocaust survivor who spoke at your ground, I find this abhorrent in 2019”.
Her son, journalist Darren Richman had posted the same clip earlier adding: “sick of it”.
A video of the chanting can be seen here. Warning – it has strong and offensive language:
@WestHamUtd as a football fan and the daughter of a holocaust survivor who spoke at your ground I find this abhorrent in 2019 pic.twitter.com/nTT9w711wJ
— Michelle Richman (@mishyrichman) April 13, 2019
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