An Arsenal supporter was ordered to leave the Emirates Stadium during the 2-0 Carabao Cup defeat by Tottenham after allegedly making a reference to ‘gassing Jews’.
The man was confronted by a Jewish Arsenal fan, who requested he stop, and the altercation is believed to have become heated. Witnesses said the Jewish supporter was backed up by Arsenal fans and a senior steward filed a thorough report of the incident, which happened in the lower tier of the East Stand on Wednesday night.
The 35-year-old Jewish supporter, who does not want to be named, told Sportsmail: ‘I was scared. The chants about circumcision had been going on and on, but I am almost used to that by now.
‘Then after the second goal he started singing about “gassing the fucking Yids”.
I said, “Please, please stop”. I then pointed him out to stewards. He charged towards me and tried to punch me and a steward blocked him. He was saying, “I’m fucking Arsenal, be united with me”. Why would I want to be united with him?
‘He was a white man in his early forties. I was there with my teenage nephew but I couldn’t sit back while they sing about gassing.
‘Most people around us backed me up, but I felt intimidated. He had two mates. I was panicking as to whether they were watching me and waiting for me outside.
‘I have been going to Arsenal for 25 years. A few of us have considered not going back. I go to European away games and without fail there is an incident.
‘In Cologne last year, there were some awful chants and my friend, a 34-year-old guy whose family suffered in the Holocaust, was in tears.’
Arsenal are studying footage and encouraging witnesses to come forward.
