Denis Campbell, Sports News Correspondent
Sunday November 26, 2000
The Observer
A gang of neo-Nazi football hooligans linked to the killers of Stephen Lawrence is targeting black soccer stars amid a sharp upsurge in racism throughout the game.
Police are investigating the English Volunteer Force (EVF), which organises racial harassment at matches involving England and the south London club, Charlton Athletic.
The group has attacked rival fans near The Valley, Charlton's ground, and is active on the fringe of racist England fans who cause trouble abroad. Its literature bears a swastika and boasts that they are 'fucking racists'.
Article continues
Charlton is one of several clubs where black players suffered racist abuse last weekend. Fans who made monkey noises at Chelsea's Marcel Desailly are thought to be EVF members.
Norwich City fan Peter Bloomfield was fined £250 and banned from domestic football for three years after he hurled racist jibes at Bolton Wanderers' Michael Ricketts when he scored.
At the FA Cup tie between Ilkeston Town and Swindon Town, several hundred home supporters subjected visiting black players to similar taunts.
In some incidents this season several thousand fans have taken part in racist chanting, systematically bar racked black players and sung xenophobic songs.
Campaigners claim such incidents disprove claims - voiced by Emile Heskey, the black Liverpool and England striker, among others - that black players now only suffer abuse abroad.
Piara Power, co-ordinator of the Premier League-backed Kick Racism Out of Football campaign, said: 'Racism is a huge problem in parts of Europe... But we shouldn't think that racist abuse and violence within stadiums has been eradicated from the British game. It hasn't.'
The police, the stewards and the clubs needed to take tougher action against racist fans, he said.
Offensive chanting is now a criminal offence, but stewards and police are often reluctant to act against offenders in case they provoke other fans. Closed-circuit television is rarely used to identify racists. Only 32 people were convicted of racist abuse at English grounds last season.
Lord Bassam, the Home Office Minister responsible for football hooliganism, said he was 'disturbed' by the rise in racist incidents this season. He urged police to follow the lead set by Millwall where police and club officials ensure that fans involved in racist chanting are arrested, ejected and prosecuted. Since 1997 the club has banned 29 fans for such behaviour.
I think that was when we were singing "Who let the frogs out, who, who" and some people thought the "who, who"s were monkey chants. I'm sure several people contacted him to explain.
[cite]Posted By: Salad[/cite]I think that was when we were singing "Who let the frogs out, who, who" and some people thought the "who, who"s were monkey chants.
I'm sure several people contacted him to explain.
I've never seen/heard anything about this but surely if that was the case then this article should either be removed from the site or some kind of notice added to it. The fact that this is still in the public domain can not be right.
I think Salad is right - a lot of the media that day seemed to deliberately misinterpret what was meant to be a joke as the Chelsea came out of the tunnel ... or more likely one reporter whose article was continually repeated by lazy journos
[cite]Posted By: T[/cite]I seem to remember the bloke that thought up that chant isn't a million miles away either!
that was me. I didn't consider 'who let the frogs out' racist then, and i still don't now. But i doubt i would start it now to be honest.
AFKA wasn't the point that was making not the "frogs" bit but sound made "who, wh, who wh, who" sounded too much like a monkey chant or have missed something?
Comments
Special report: race issues in the UK
Denis Campbell, Sports News Correspondent
Sunday November 26, 2000
The Observer
A gang of neo-Nazi football hooligans linked to the killers of Stephen Lawrence is targeting black soccer stars amid a sharp upsurge in racism throughout the game.
Police are investigating the English Volunteer Force (EVF), which organises racial harassment at matches involving England and the south London club, Charlton Athletic.
The group has attacked rival fans near The Valley, Charlton's ground, and is active on the fringe of racist England fans who cause trouble abroad. Its literature bears a swastika and boasts that they are 'fucking racists'.
Article continues
Charlton is one of several clubs where black players suffered racist abuse last weekend. Fans who made monkey noises at Chelsea's Marcel Desailly are thought to be EVF members.
Norwich City fan Peter Bloomfield was fined £250 and banned from domestic football for three years after he hurled racist jibes at Bolton Wanderers' Michael Ricketts when he scored.
At the FA Cup tie between Ilkeston Town and Swindon Town, several hundred home supporters subjected visiting black players to similar taunts.
In some incidents this season several thousand fans have taken part in racist chanting, systematically bar racked black players and sung xenophobic songs.
Campaigners claim such incidents disprove claims - voiced by Emile Heskey, the black Liverpool and England striker, among others - that black players now only suffer abuse abroad.
Piara Power, co-ordinator of the Premier League-backed Kick Racism Out of Football campaign, said: 'Racism is a huge problem in parts of Europe... But we shouldn't think that racist abuse and violence within stadiums has been eradicated from the British game. It hasn't.'
The police, the stewards and the clubs needed to take tougher action against racist fans, he said.
Offensive chanting is now a criminal offence, but stewards and police are often reluctant to act against offenders in case they provoke other fans. Closed-circuit television is rarely used to identify racists. Only 32 people were convicted of racist abuse at English grounds last season.
Lord Bassam, the Home Office Minister responsible for football hooliganism, said he was 'disturbed' by the rise in racist incidents this season. He urged police to follow the lead set by Millwall where police and club officials ensure that fans involved in racist chanting are arrested, ejected and prosecuted. Since 1997 the club has banned 29 fans for such behaviour.
I'm sure several people contacted him to explain.
I've never seen/heard anything about this but surely if that was the case then this article should either be removed from the site or some kind of notice added to it. The fact that this is still in the public domain can not be right.
;-)
that was me. I didn't consider 'who let the frogs out' racist then, and i still don't now. But i doubt i would start it now to be honest.
AFKA wasn't the point that was making not the "frogs" bit but sound made "who, wh, who wh, who" sounded too much like a monkey chant or have missed something?