A shocking video emerged today of British football fans repeatedly pushing a black man off a train and chanting: ‘We’re racist and that’s the way we like it’. Daily Mail Online
Watch the video here:
The Chelsea supporters were filmed abusing the victim at Richelieu-Drouot station on the Paris Metro last night.
The footage shows the gang of white men refusing to let him on board despite there being enough space in the carriage.
The victim then remonstrates with the fans, asking them to let him on and pointing at a space, but the gang block the door and push him off again when he tries to board for the second time.
Another black passenger then walks off the train in disgust as the large group of fans chant: ‘We’re racist, we’re racist, and that’s the way we like it, we like it, we like it.’
The Chelsea fans in the footage can also be heard chanting at French passengers: ‘Where were you in World War Two?’
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There were also disturbing reports of large groups of fans singing anti-Semitic songs in Jewish areas of the city, hissing while imitating the sound of gas escaping.
Chelsea, who have condemned the ‘abhorrent’ abuse and have 22 black or foreign first team players, were playing Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last night. The club also backed criminal charges for those involved.
Paul Nolan, a British expat who filmed the clip, told The Guardian: ‘He was obviously completely shocked when they pushed him off. I don’t think he realised who they were.
‘He then tried to get on again and got pushed off a second time. There definitely was a culture shock. I heard a couple of French guys saying: ‘I can’t believe this. It’s insane’.’
Chelsea fanzine editor David Johnstone told BBC 5Live: ‘Because of the actions of possibly half a dozen people on a Metro train in Paris all the supporters are going to be labelled as racist.
‘I think the majority of Chelsea supporters are disgusted by what’s happened. The 2,000 who were in Paris today support a Jewish-owned football team where the majority of players are black and foreign’.
The scenes in the French capital will mar a closely-fought last 16 first leg that ended as a 1-1 draw, with Branislav Ivanovic putting the Blues ahead before PSG frontman Edison Cavani equalised.
A Chelsea spokesman said: ‘Such behaviour is abhorrent and has no place in football or society.
‘We will support any criminal action against those involved, and should evidence point to involvement of Chelsea season-ticket holders or members the club will take the strongest possible action against them, including banning orders.’
Meanwhile radio commentator and former footballer Stan Collymore tweeted: ‘Chelsea fans. Save your spite for those on the train, I’m sure you’ll want to see them banned from holding season tickets at your club.’
Chelsea fans and players have been involved in a number of racism rows in recent years.
In October 2012 supporter Gavin Kirkham racially abused then-Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck with a monkey gesture during Chelsea’s 5-4 win in the League Cup at Stamford Bridge.
Kirkham, of Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, was pictured making an obscene gesture – and later arrested but released without charge by the Metropolitan Police.
Earlier that year Chelsea imposed a lifetime ban on a fan who admitted racially abusing Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba during an FA Cup match against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley.
And in October 2011, club captain John Terry was found guilty in a Football Association tribunal of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, given a four-match ban and fined £220,000.
Terry was said to have branded Ferdinand a ‘f***ing black c***’ during a match against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road, but he was acquitted of using racist language in a criminal trial.
