LONDON, February 18- A shocking video emerged Tuesday night of Chelsea football fans refusing to let a black man board a train.
The supporters were filmed pushing a black man off the packed train at Richelieu-Drouot station on the Paris Metro yesterday, despite there being enough space for him to board.
The man can then be seen remonstrating with the fans, asking for them to let him on and appearing to insist there is sufficient room for him to stand – but he is then pushed off again.
Other passengers are seen watching from the platform – as a black women also gets off the train and the fans chant: ‘We’re racist, we’re racist, and that’s the way we like it, we like it, we like it.’
The footage was filmed before the Premier League team’s 1-1 draw in a Champions League fixture with Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes yesterday.
Paul Nolan, a British expatriate 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.”
Also last night a group of away fans were reportedly kettled and teargassed outside a bar, as well as around 200 supporters who were still trying to get into the stadium ten minutes after the start.
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.
-Racism history-
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.
-By Daily Mail
Video credit AP News/YouTube