Two men have been arrested on suspicion of committing a hate crime after a video emerged showing West Ham fans subjecting an Orthodox man to a barrage of hateful chants.
An investigation was launched after video footage revealed supporters who had travelled to Belgium to watch West Ham in the Europa League chanting on board their plane: “We’ve got a foreskin, how about you,” to a visibly Jewish man making his way to his seat.
Essex police said they arrested a 55-year-old man on Friday as he stepped off a flight from Belgium.
On Saturday, a 26-year-old man was also arrested as he left a flight from the Netherlands.
Both and are suspected of committing a hate crime on the November 4 flight from Stansted airport on which the racist chants took place and have been released on bail until the December 1.
Essex Police Chief Superintendent Tom Simons, who is leading the investigation, said: “Essex Police will not tolerate racism or discrimination of any kind
“Having been made aware of the incident this morning, officers worked quickly to secure an arrest at the earliest possible opportunity.”
Home Secretary Priti Patel previously gave her “full backing” to the police investigation, telling the JC the chants were “vile”.
Speaking to the JC, Ms Patel said: “The video circulating on social media is absolutely appalling and there is no place in football or our country for this vile, racist, antisemitic abuse.
“In the UK, we have some of the toughest laws in the world to deal with hate crime, and the police and West Ham Football Club have my full backing to take the toughest possible action against these individuals.”
Addressing the offensive chants, West Ham manager David Moyes told Sky Sports: "I have to say first of all that I don't see our football club being like that. We are a diverse football club. There's no room for discrimination anywhere…
"I'm really disappointed to hear about it. I'm sure it's only individuals and not a big section of supporters. I'm just sorry to hear about it…
"We have incredible supporters who follow us home and away, but I don't want any labels connected to this whatsoever - discrimination or racism, none at all.
“We don't want to be associated with supporters like this. I want us to fully move on from this."
The police inquiry is ongoing and Essex Police requests that anyone with further information or footage of the incident to call detectives on 101.
