Racism in Football

[Yozza]

Arsenal v Tottenham: Spurs fan arrested after banana skin thrown

A Tottenham supporter was arrested after a banana skin was thrown on to the pitch during Sunday's ill-tempered derby with Arsenal at Emirates Stadium.

It was thrown from the away end after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had scored for the Gunners, who won the game 4-2.

A Spurs spokesman said the supporter would be banned, with anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out calling for a life ban.

"We condemn this action and welcome the investigation," Kick It Out said.

"Our latest reporting figures show incidents of racism are on the rise and the banana throwing at the north London derby should be seen in that context."

Police said there were also six arrests for public order offences, at least two of which were believed to be Arsenal fans who lit smoke canisters during the match.

"Behaviour such as this is completely unacceptable and the supporter in question will be issued with a ban," a Tottenham spokesman said of the banana-skin incident.

A Premier League statement said: "Discriminatory behaviour has no place in football or society as a whole.

"The police and the Football Association are rightly investigating and the Premier League will support whatever action they deem necessary."

BBC Sport pundit Ian Wright spent seven years at Arsenal, scoring 185 goals in 288 appearances for the club.

"I've played against Spurs and I've taken a lot of abuse but never ever has it been racial," the former striker told Match of the Day 2.

"Now Spurs have to deal with this because some idiot has done that. It's not only embarrassed Spurs but it has embarrassed the Premier League because it has gone around the world.

"It's really unfortunate to see."

[frank the tank]

Spurs should not be allowed to have any away fans for the rest of the season. Only something like that would actually push the club to do something about it. I know people will say "you are punishing a couple of thousand for the actions of one person" but **** 'em. If they want to blame someone, then blame the clown that did that. It would push real fans to report such dick heads then as well....


Although, if you banned their away fans, then would they have to play in an empty Wembley for the next couple of months too???

[Scratch]

And therein lies the problem for the fan in question and with society today also; in the unlikely event it was a heat of the moment accident, that fan has already been tried and convicted by the media, the clubs and various sporting associations.

[frank the tank]

nah obvious that he is a prick.

[frank the tank]

Also, who the **** brings a banana to a football match???

[Alex]

Slightly renamed the thread as John Terry is a bit of a no mark now, and the topic should probably be kept a bit more serious.

[Scratch]

Well, I've taken butties in before, cos I refuse to pay extortionate stadium prices for stadium food. I guess if I liked bananas, I could have taken one of them too. Good source of energy ain't they?

[Fivex]

Slightly renamed the thread as John Terry is a bit of a no mark now, and the topic should probably be kept a bit more serious.

Terryist

[Alex]

And therein lies the problem for the fan in question and with society today also; in the unlikely event it was a heat of the moment accident, that fan has already been tried and convicted by the media, the clubs and various sporting associations.

I think trial by media is dangerous and has shown in the past its been wrong. The Holgate/Firmino stuff was minor, but if handled wrong it could have been pretty devastating all round.

This case does seem pretty hard to try and find a justification for. Who in their right mind prepares racism ahead of time like that though? The person that did it went to buy that banana and then had to remember to bring it to the ground and then be close enough at the right time to lob it. People like that are losers.

It does seem to be getting worse at the moment, but I dont know if thats because now EVERYTHING is reported on, where as in the past we didnt have as many people/cameras/microphones at grounds looking out for stuff. Its not brilliant though is it.

[baitman]

Surely if the fruit thrower can produce a potassium rich stool then he has brought it to the match as a conveniently wrapped snack and he is only guilty of littering.

[Buzzo]

Also, who the **** brings a banana to a football match???

I haven't seen many bananas being consumed at sporting events over the years.

And then for the person to have eaten one to happen to mistakenly throw it on the pitch at a black player in a moment of frustration... it all seems a bit unlikely.

[dom9]

Spurs should not be allowed to have any away fans for the rest of the season. Only something like that would actually push the club to do something about it. I know people will say "you are punishing a couple of thousand for the actions of one person" but **** 'em. If they want to blame someone, then blame the clown that did that. It would push real fans to report such dick heads then as well....


Although, if you banned their away fans, then would they have to play in an empty Wembley for the next couple of months too???

Are you really advocating the same punishment for us if one of our own ****wits did the same?

[Red_Polo]

And therein lies the problem for the fan in question and with society today also; in the unlikely event it was a heat of the moment accident, that fan has already been tried and convicted by the media, the clubs and various sporting associations.

Eh? Trial by media? Has the individual been named and publicly harassed by them? What is it about the coverage that is so wrong?

There are loads of examples of named people being subjected to trial by a media that repeatedly slurs them, of people being doxxed and hounded on social media, or of the general public enjoying piling on to heavily criticise people before thinking. That is a million miles from this, at least so far.

Can what right now simply amounts to people calling it racist to chuck a banana at an opposition black player who has just scored against your team really be thought of as the same?

If it is, at what point would it be acceptable for the media to condemn the incident as racist? Presumably not for many months, after a trial, when the outcome will be a footnote at best in the story of an incident that long since passed the nation by without too much fuss.

[Red_Polo]

Well, I've taken butties in before, cos I refuse to pay extortionate stadium prices for stadium food. I guess if I liked bananas, I could have taken one of them too. Good source of energy ain't they?

I'm desperate for a bacon buttie now you ****er

[dom9]

Eh? Trial by media? Has the individual been named and publicly harassed by them? What is it about the coverage that is so wrong?

There are loads of examples of named people being subjected to trial by a media that repeatedly slurs them, of people being doxxed and hounded on social media, or of the general public enjoying piling on to heavily criticise people before thinking. That is a million miles from this, at least so far.

Can what right now simply amounts to people calling it racist to chuck a banana at an opposition black player who has just scored against your team really be thought of as the same?

If it is, at what point would it be acceptable for the media to condemn the incident as racist? Presumably not for many months, after a trial, when the outcome will be a footnote at best in the story of an incident that long since passed the nation by without too much fuss.

Correct.

Nothing of the sort has happened.

Spud seems to be inventing arguments to argue against. Or justify. I can't really be sure.