Arsenal have opened an investigation into “discriminatory and violent” behaviour by their supporters during the Carabao Cup defeat by Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates on Wednesday night.
The Independent understands that at least one incident is under investigation, including an instance of antisemitic behaviour in which a supporter is alleged to have ‘hissed’ and chanted about ‘gassing Jews’.
Tottenham supporters have long been subject to antisemitic provocation due to the club’s historic links to the Jewish community, with hissing noises designed to invoke the sound of Second World War Holocaust gas chambers.
An estimated six million Jewish people were murdered in The Holocaust between the years 1941-1945.
Witnesses have told The Independent that in one incident, a supporter in the North Bank became involved in a physical altercation after fellow fans accused them of making numerous antisemitic references.
Supporters say the offender was removed from the ground after complaints were made to stewards over their behaviour. Arsenal say they have no record of any such ejection but that a supporter left of their own volition after an altercation with a fellow fan.
The club are encouraging those with information to help identify the accused man to come forward.
In a statement released to The Independent, Arsenal said: “We are aware of the alleged incident and are currently investigating.
“We do not tolerate any anti-social, discriminatory or violent behaviour at Arsenal Football Club. Anyone identified will receive a lengthy club ban and their details will be passed to the Police to commence legal proceedings.
“We are continually reminding our fans if they witness any form of discriminatory chanting at a match, they can report it to a matchday steward or use our ‘See Something, Say Something’ service... this enables us to act as quickly as possible.”
The club are keen to stress that fans can report anti-social or discriminatory behaviour by texting “FOUL” to 67777 together with a description of the incident.
The game, which Tottenham won 2-0, was pockmarked with several incidents of bad behaviour.
Mobile phone video footage shot from the away end appears to show a group of Arsenal supporters making several antisemitic provocations, with one Arsenal fan pictured spitting into the Tottenham section.
Another is clearly pictured pointing towards his nose, in an apparent reference to the offensive stereotype that Jewish people have large noses.
And midway through the second-half of the game, Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli was hit by a plastic bottle thrown by a Arsenal supporter as he went to retrieve the ball for a throw-in.
Arsenal commented on Thursday that they have identified a suspect after working with the Metropolitan Police. “We have all been embarrassed by the individual who threw a bottle at Dele Alli,” they said in a statement.
This incident comes all too soon after a Spurs fan was arrested for throwing a banana skin at Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang when the two teams met in the Premier League at the start of the month.
He was handed a four-year football banning order on Wednesday after pleading guilty to throwing a missile.
On Thursday afternoon Arsenal were fined £45,000 and Tottenham £50,000 after both clubs admitted to an FA charge of failing to ensure that their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the Premier League match.
