Police seek fans over Sol Campbell abuse

RichMc70

Images have been released of 16 Tottenham fans police want to trace over indecent and homophobic chanting directed at Portsmouth's Sol Campbell.
The investigation follows abuse aimed at the former Arsenal and England defender during a game with Spurs at Fratton Park on 28 September.
Officers are asking the public to help them trace the men, who were captured on film during the match.
The FA said it would ban for life any fans it could prove were involved.
'Robust action'
Supt Neil Sherrington from Hampshire police said: "As part of our investigation into indecent chanting at Fratton Park, we have identified 16 people we would like to speak to. "Our inquiry is aimed at identifying and putting before the court those individuals who engaged in unacceptable behaviour at this public event.

"Their abuse caused distress to some supporters and was targeted at an individual.
"We want to send a clear message that abuse of this kind will not be tolerated and that we are taking robust action.
"I'd urge anyone who recognises these people to contact us as soon as possible."
Campbell, who left Tottenham on a free transfer to north London rivals Arsenal in 2001, joining Portsmouth in 2006, was subjected to prolonged abuse during the game. Complaints from Portsmouth fans were made to Hampshire police, who initially said they could not take action because of the number of Tottenham fans involved.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/hampshire/7774114.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7774096.stm


Sky news are running the same story however have decided to sensationalise it even more with their headline: Hunt For Fans Over Racist Chants
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Sol-Campbell-Police-Release-Pics-Of-Fans-They-Want-To-Quiz-Over-Chanting-At-Portsmouth-FC/Article/200812215175825?lpos=UK_News_Carousel_Region_4&lid=ARTICLE_15175825_Sol_Campbell%3A_Police_Release_Pics_Of_Fans_They_Want_To_Quiz_Over_Chanting_At_Portsmouth_FC

Hatch99

Ouch, hope nobody on here got nabbed by the cctv.

sew

anyone else just think this is a waste of time. like i dont condone it, but, Whats the difference, between, Keane been called a paddy ****$r, etc.

Surely the cops in england have better things to be doing with themselves, then chasing lads that chant.

Its part of the game, take it with a pinch of salt

RichMc70

Spurs pledge to help police - Tottenham vow to support investigation into Campbell abuse

Tottenham have vowed to support the police investigation into the abuse directed at Sol Campbell.
Campbell was subjected to racist and homophobic chanting by some travelling fans during Portsmouth's game against Spurs at Fratton Park in September.
A number of Tottenham fans have targeted Campbell since he left White Hart Lane in 2001 and Hampshire Police have now released CCTV pictures of 16 suspects.
The London club has promised to ban for life any supporter found guilty of racist or homophobic behaviour.
And Tottenham's safety officer Sue Telling has insisted that they will do their utmost to help the police in their inquiry.
Tilling said: "The club does not tolerate any form of abusive or discriminatory chanting and we would ask fans with any information to please come forward and assist the police with their investigation into this matter.
"In order to ensure that matchdays are enjoyable for everyone we shall not hesitate to ban, indefinitely, supporters whose behaviour is proven to be unacceptable.
"The conduct of our supporters is taken very, very seriously and our fans are normally well behaved both at home and away grounds."
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_4619842,00.html

The official club statement actually read:
"The Club does not tolerate any form of abusive or discriminatory chanting," said a Club spokesman, "and we would ask fans with any information to please come forward and assist the police with their investigation into this matter.
"We have always looked to maintain a positive and family-friendly match day experience, to which the vast majority of our supporters contribute.
"The conduct of our supporters is taken very, very seriously and our fans are normally well behaved both at home and away grounds. In order to ensure that matchdays are enjoyable for everyone we shall not hesitate to ban, indefinitely, supporters whose behaviour is proven to be unacceptable."
http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/portsmouthphotographsreleased.html

I think the majority of us would agree that it's time to let it go now with the Campbell abuse but the scumbag british media and their fixation with racism is an even bigger joke and seriously annoys me.

Sky Sports: "Campbell was subjected to racist and homophobic chanting by some travelling fans during Portsmouth's game against Spurs at Fratton Park in September".

Truth: The abuse was homophobic but not racist. It wasnt just some travelling fans but in fact the majority. (Either way, its wrong but let's stick to the facts Sky)

Sky Sports: "The London club has promised to ban for life any supporter found guilty of racist or homophobic behaviour."

Truth: The club stated that "The Club does not tolerate any form of abusive or discriminatory chanting,......" we shall not hesitate to ban, indefinitely, supporters whose behaviour is proven to be unacceptable." (The official statement contained no reference to racism, so I would assume a blatant deliberate misquote from Sky)

Of course the club are going to ban anyone who chants racist or homophobic abuse but why can't the media just stick to the facts or do they believe that the story is made more sensational by falsely making racism accusations.

The world we live in today is contolled by PC nazis with nothing better to do with their lives. England has one of the highest violent crime rates in the western world. In a lot of areas of London and other major cities, people are scared to walk the streets, the british home office admit thats theres probably thousands of extremists living in the UK who are willing to take part in terrorist activity but yet the Hampshire Constabulary are putting their already stretched resources into an investigation that will cost their state hundreds of thousands of pounds and result in a football ban for possibly 16 idiots.

:mad:

sew

exactly Rich - absolute, amazing waste of resources, from there police

BOLT

The way I read the thread title, I thought the police were looking for 'support' in their anti-Campbell stance...

Dublin Spur

I'm loving how high profile the Campbell abuse story is getting. As long as people/media are talking about Campbell and abuse I'm happy.

Yes he was great player for Spurs, a proper great. But all that was destroyed the day he decided to be a fcuking dispicable judas cnut.

I hate him, and I will drink the pub dry (as the song goes) when he finally pops his cloggs.

hotspur147

to publish pics of people,accuse them of being racist,homophobic etc without a conviction or even a trial is surely a breach of their civil rights.guilty or not these fans will be labeled as racists for the rest of their lives.surely the same witchhunt must come into effect whenever opposing fans taunt us with chants about jews and hitler.
i was looking at other spurs forums today and it seems that west ham fans were making hissing sounds on monday night.mimicking the sound of the gas chambers used during the jewish holocust of ww2.why was this not highlighted?

ziedth

Becasue it's not a slow news week this week hotspur,

I also share the sentiments of dublinspur, the chap was my out and out hero when I was but a lad.

event

Dublin Spur wrote: »

I'm loving how high profile the Campbell abuse story is getting. As long as people/media are talking about Campbell and abuse I'm happy.

Yes he was great player for Spurs, a proper great. But all that was destroyed the day he decided to be a fcuking dispicable judas cnut.

I hate him, and I will drink the pub dry (as the song goes) when he finally pops his cloggs.

that is absolutely disgraceful

Hatch99

Dublin Spur wrote: »

I'm loving how high profile the Campbell abuse story is getting. As long as people/media are talking about Campbell and abuse I'm happy.

Yes he was great player for Spurs, a proper great. But all that was destroyed the day he decided to be a fcuking dispicable judas cnut.

I hate him, and I will drink the pub dry (as the song goes) when he finally pops his cloggs.

Could'nt have put it better myself my fellow Dublin Spur.

tippspur

hotspur147 wrote: »

to publish pics of people,accuse them of being racist,homophobic etc without a conviction or even a trial is surely a breach of their civil rights.guilty or not these fans will be labeled as racists for the rest of their lives.surely the same witchhunt must come into effect whenever opposing fans taunt us with chants about jews and hitler.
i was looking at other spurs forums today and it seems that west ham fans were making hissing sounds on monday night.mimicking the sound of the gas chambers used during the jewish holocust of ww2.why was this not highlighted?

I was thinking the same thing myself,putting these pics in the media before anyone is proven guilty is surely wrong.spurs should start kicking up about that hissing lark as well..

LuckyLloyd

Wow, some of ye should be ashamed of yourselves.



It should absolutely not be part of the game.

therecklessone

It's not part of the game, the song is not racist.

The "hanging" line is a reference to Campbell's mental state after he went awol in his last season at Arsenal.

If people do want to drag up historical references to hurl at Spurs fans, go a bit further back than the post-Civil War US and look up your Bible to see what fate Judas Iscariot suffered.

That doesn't change the fact that it is very poor taste and most definitely homophobic. It shouldn't be sung, and I hope it never is again.

I also hope I never hear a chorus of "Spurs are on the way to Auschwitz", or "we'll be running 'round Tottenham with our foreskins hanging out", or "I'd rather be a Paki than a Jew", or the vile hissing we are subjected to every time we play the Bingo Club or Chelsea. For that matter I'd rather not hear a chorus of "shoe, shoe, shoe bomber" directed at Mido (or any other Muslim player), or hear Glenn Roeder referred to as "tumour boy", or hear somebody wish that Frank Lampard's kids die of cancer, or hear references to Munich, Harold Shipman, Heysel, or Hillsbrough.

everdead.ie

therecklessone wrote: »

It's not part of the game, the song is not racist.

The "hanging" line is a reference to Campbell's mental state after he went awol in his last season at Arsenal.

If people do want to drag up historical references to hurl at Spurs fans, go a bit further back than the post-Civil War US and look up your Bible to see what fate Judas Iscariot suffered.

That doesn't change the fact that it is very poor taste and most definitely homophobic. It shouldn't be sung, and I hope it never is again.

I also hope I never hear a chorus of "Spurs are on the way to Auschwitz", or "we'll be running 'round Tottenham with our foreskins hanging out", or "I'd rather be a Paki than a Jew", or the vile hissing we are subjected to every time we play the Bingo Club or Chelsea. For that matter I'd rather not hear a chorus of "shoe, shoe, shoe bomber" directed at Mido (or any other Muslim player), or hear Glenn Roeder referred to as "tumour boy", or hear somebody wish that Frank Lampard's kids die of cancer, or hear references to Munich, Harold Shipman, Heysel, or Hillsbrough.

+1

This kinda thing needs to be stamped out or things are only going to get worse in the bpl. The reason they can release the photo'is because they are "suspects" and they are "connected to" the abuse hurled at campbell they dont say that guy's guilty of......