There can be no doubt that abuse exists in the UK, and that includes football, but it is not exclusive to the game. It is something that should never be tolerated in any shape or form and is repugnant to most of us.
Our club has done so much to eradicate abuse from inside the Emirates, where they have been able to control the situation very quickly and issue their own punishments through bans, season ticket withdrawal and public statements via the media.
Inside the stadium vs outside the gates
Of course, we still hear chants such as “What do you think of Tottenham” or “Stand up if you hate Tottenham”, but these rarely cause problems and are generally seen as banter rather than abuse. There are other, more personal insults that are sung about individuals. I am not sure what any football club can do about those, other than identify individuals and make an example of them.
It is what happens outside the ground that causes the real problems, and I will give you an example.
It was reported that five men were making monkey gestures behind a barrier as the PSG coach departed from the Emirates Stadium. This immediately becomes a situation for the authorities to handle, not the football club. The report also stated there was no way of identifying these five morons as supporting any individual club, but PSG officials recorded the incident and handed the video to the police.
Let us hope all five are identified and punished accordingly.
In the return leg, there was a man in the away end clearly singing abusive songs. His photograph was taken and his image was as clear as daylight, yet he was not removed from the ground and no arrests were made. I find that extraordinary and deeply worrying.
Selective outrage and media double standards
But here is the punchline. After the game, riot police using tear gas and water cannons were called in to break up gangs of identified PSG fans running riot. One young fan was stabbed to death, while another was seriously injured after a car was driven into the crowd. It was mayhem involving hundreds, if not thousands, of PSG fans, as reported by the gendarme the following day.
Yet no headlines, no articles, no condemnation followed from the same organisations and individuals who had no hesitation in blaming Arsenal fans and smearing our club.
Let us just take a step back here.
They were very quick to blame “Arsenal fans” for attacking the PSG bus and it was headline news the next day, yet I have not seen a single report in the British press about the incidents in Paris. I wonder why?
You see, mud sticks, and when unproven claims are made, we need our club and supporters to stand up and challenge the media.
As an Arsenal supporter for many years, it felt as though all fans were being tainted with the brush of abusive behaviour. Some were even accusing the club and its supporters of ignoring it, and cited other instances to back up that claim.
If we truly want to stamp out abuse, should the reporting not be unbiased, factual and proven before hurling accusations?
I was asked by a Scottish neighbour if I was proud of my club and the hooligans who support it.
You see how mud sticks?
I am sick and tired of the media running down our club at every opportunity, often based on the actions of a minority who are wrongly presumed to represent the majority.
Being a moron is one thing, but their behaviour gives others the opportunity to paint the rest of us the same way. It is something we should all stand together on and, once the facts are known, act accordingly. If the media are lying or showing hypocrisy, we should call that out too.
So, in answer to my question, I absolutely believe that individuals who act like idiots should be treated like idiots. But please, do not judge the rest of us by their behaviour – at least not without proof.
I have never seen riot police outside the Emirates, and I am certain I never will.
Ken1945
__________________________________________________________________________________________
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
Let them be fast about the transfer if not another clubs might hijacked him..
?!?!?!
Ken1945,
Like you I’m perplexed by the Dickson post.🤷♂️
And as for your article, I have to say I totally agree.
It’s so easy to tar everyone with the same brush, and it seems to suit some people to do that. But it’s just lazy journalism really, or lazy poster’s in some cases.
Once proven by all means deal with the culprit or culprits involved. But don’t assume the behavior of the minority should then be cast on to the majority.
I can name a couple of times riot police have had to be deployed outside the Emirates
Dan
I didn’t know that. I’m not as up to speed as you are, but what happened or was happening, and how did it end up?
SueP, I saw riot police escort a group of that lot from N17TH from Upper Street, along Holloway Road to the stadium in I think 2016.
HD
There were years of child rearing when I missed seasons of games but as recent as 2016 it’s pretty unpleasant to hear
I do remember my dad refusing to let me go to the spurs game in our 1971 double year. Too dangerous for a 14 yr old. All rather sad
SueP, it still goes on these days, especially at their place. A few years ago an official from our club was escorting two of our disabled supporters when he was attacked and needed hospital treatment. They really are a sick lot.
Are you being genuine though
As I was asked oh I never heard an offensive song at Arsenal ….gave examples
Then oh I never heard racism at the Arsenal ….gave examples
So now it’s riot police have never been outside Arsenal ?
So are you genuinely interested in the answer or will you just say …. ( Well we don’t know it’s Arsenal fans lol )
You have a bloody nerve to ask that question
So why ask then ?
Koronke protest – morons / cowards started throwing bottles at police so had to bring in riot police outside Emirates
Let me guess ?
Your going to say. . .. how do you know they were Arsenal fans lol
Also were at a Europa League tie although away fans caused that
As I said, I knew nothing about riot police. Police attending but nothing specific
And I don’t try and trip you up Dan
Well now you know
Yes they have been at the Emirates
Yes racism happens at the Emirates
Yes sock chants happen at the Emirates
Funny how the same little gang didn’t know any of that
Sick not sock
I take exception to your comments as I am notin a gang, large or small, Dan
I have never ever written any such thing or expressed those opinions
What I have expressed is a view that you have not accepted any responsibility for writing an article (which I only read for the first time the other night) regarding the role of Liverpool supporters in Paris which was found to be well wide of the mark.
What was purely a number of posts by Ken1945 regarding your article, the emphasis then moved on to racism and other abhorrent activities. That had nothing to do with the article Ken1945 is questioning and I don’t know why you moved the goalposts by bringing those things up. You put your views out there in that Liverpool article for public consumption but haven’t liked the consequences of it. That is not my fault.
On the subject of sock chants; I haven’t got a clue what you mean
As for your other points, I’ve no doubt that things happen which shouldn’t. It would be weird if they didn’t as the people who perpetrate racist and anti social behaviour outside the ground are more than capable of doing it inside unfortunately
But your have people back on this site who said racial , homophobic, body shame , mocked mental health because it’s fun and banter and entertaining?
Why not have the same moral compass for them ?
Or do you have to go with the majority?
Either way
Please don’t ask me to ask me when I see them if you didn’t want the answer
.I notice you and your little gang don’t like calling out racists or those who break the law but then have the nerve to ask me to say sorry lol
Who are the racists I have backed
You won’t find any Dan
You have obliquely not named a so called racist who as far as I can tell hasn’t posted such opinions but you are saying that person has.
You clearly have knowledge of this but its not in the public domain
I’d be grateful if you could please refrain from mixing up an article only about the Liverpool game with racism and abuse. I do not tolerate abuse of any sort – race, misogyny, sexual orientation and physical.
Therein lies the problem SueP.
Dan will deflect criticism, by introducing other thoughts.
The two articles in question have taken the same road of rambling accusations as this one is now doing.
Where in this article is the CL Final in Paris mentioned
What is mentioned is no riot police at the Emirates
So I simply said I seen them
You asked when ?
Now are back at me deflection criticism
Again makes zero sense
No riot police – yes there are – tell me – now your gang is back to the CL final in Paris lol
I wasn’t at the Kronkie Super League protest or the Cologne game, where it was reported that 20,000 of their fans delayed kick off by blocking access to the ground.
As I say, I, personally, have never witnessed riot police at the Emirates and I’m certain I never will (should have added) see Arsenal fans rioting as the PSG fans did in Oaris
Paris.
Sometimes there is a sense of outrage where none exists or isn’t exactly as bad as we first thought
I’m all in favour of calling out the culprits of abuse, vandalism etc. I remember tuning into the Liverpool game at the Heysel stadium. It was awful to witness and English clubs suffered as a result of the lunacy of fans. Hillsborough and the heartbreaking scenes should serve to remind us that justice isn’t always served when it should and that includes people we trust who really ought to have owned up
SueP, regarding Heysel, I was told that some Liverpool fans were out for revenge after what happened to them in the final of the European Cup the previous season in Rome. A lot of Liverpool fans were badly injured after the game following their win against Roma.
That Heysel stadium was falling apart five years earlier when we lost to Valencia in the Cup Winners Cup. How it was allowed to host another European Final amazed me.
SueP, it still goes on these days, especially at their place. A few years ago an official from our club was escorting two of our disabled supporters when he was attacked and needed hospital treatment. They really are a sick lot.
Were you at the NL derby at Highbury around the 1978 season HD, when the spud fans at the clock end invaded the pitch after the game, ran up to the North Bank to confront our fans.
My daughter and I had season tickets in the West Stand and it’s the only time we have ever felt threatened at a home game, either at Highbury or the Emirates?
This was when football hooliganism was rife around the country sad to say.
Sometimes the inconsistency and injustices of refs against Arsenal drive fans to be mad. There is a cause for the ensuing effect. Even the normally mellow Wenger went out of his regular way to confront the injustices of refs. Is the infringements scary compared to rival clubs? Is it improving or deteriorating season by season?
Two really interesting questions Ambachew.
1. In the away games that I’ve attended over the years, I have to say that I didn’t find the refereeing against us was that cynical, apart from when we played manure… but someone like HD, who went to many many more away games than me, might be better equipped to answer that question.
2. In my opinion, refereeing in general has deteriorated since Mike Riley and the PGMOL arrived.
As far as our club is concerned, my opinion is that each season sees us getting more and more decisions going against us, especially since MA arrived as manager.
I think the worst crime is people collecting money for jobs (their occupation) and then later come to claim they were forced.
Clubs can buy best players but cannot refs. If the problems continue to persist in the new season as well and AFC is not taking concrere actions to consulting with PGMOL to rectify the injustices so what’s the point in investing on signing new players? To see refs bias and inconsistencies in fact we need not be seeing matches being present at stads; it’s readily visible on TV broadcasts with VAR being the bonus. Despite the enormity of the problem I’ve never heard of Arsenal fans protesting in an organized audible manner against refs injustices.
Sorry to change the subject, Fabio Romano on TikTok…..Victor Gyokeres ‘Here We Go’
Is anyone else having trouble regards getting on the Just Arsenal page in the last couple of days?.