Do as we say
Spurs News 24/7From the official Tottenham site re: Man City at home on Wednesday -
The Police have informed us that they will continue to monitor for use of the Y-word by supporters during our fixture against Manchester City as they have at recent home fixtures. The Club advises any supporter that is warned and asked to stop chanting this word by Police, to follow these instructions in order to avoid further sanctions including possible arrest.
The Police have also confirmed to us that they will be adopting a zero tolerance approach to all forms of anti-Semitic abuse, as well as anything considered to be foul, abusive, homophobic or racist.
We therefore ask all supporters, both home and away, to be mindful of their language and behaviour at White Hart Lane.
Looks like nothing is going to change with the stance the authorities have and the word yid and its context. Anti-Semitic abuse by a single individual is not as common as say having a group of supporters hissing or singing songs about gas chambers/Hitler. It's far more common for Tottenham supporters to be picked out using a word in a way that does not constitute anti-Semitic behaviour instead and tag it with the same zero tolerance reaction. Yet another game of politics and bureaucratic agendas at play, with the ever disposable football fan the obvious patsy.
As I've stated before, someone please explain the logic that defines how a police officer can warn a supporter to stop using the word and only then proceed with an arrest afterwards when the word is repeated again? What is the football fan being arrested for?
Anti-Semitic chanting? Not if he's stood in any given home stand at the Lane.
The fan is being arrested because he's not listening to a police officer that has been given strict instructions on the word Yid, without any genuine understanding why it's considered to be an arrestable offence.
If the word is deemed illegal, then why not arrest the supporter immediately?
Why not arrest an entire block of supporters chanting it? I'm sure CCTV can help a lending hand.
Why not charge the club or fine the club for harbouring supporters that persist with chanting this illegal word and behaving with disgrace?
Ah, but alas, we're not behaving with disgrace are we?
If a Jewish supporter is arrested for calling himself a Yid, how does that one play out exactly?
There's a difference, a clear difference, between what should be zero tolerance with people that have the intent to offend and upset with racism, homophobia or anti-Semitic chanting and people that are not using it as a hate word. At least there should be a difference. We seem to understand it. Everyone that isn't a football supporter doesn't want to understand it. Another classic case of misdirection.
We are clients supposedly. We are nether clients or customers or football supporters. The moment you enter the stadium, you're the property of the club and liable to be bullied by the thought police.
Favourite line of all from the statement on the site is towards the end of the copy:
We have a fantastic atmosphere at the Lane and we hope everyone continues to focus their energies on cheering the team on.
No we don't.
Any chance THFC can grow some balls on this and be more definitive with their stance? I understand it's a topic that presides with much ambiguity and controversy but at the moment there is no clear end game at play. We're being told not to use a word that we have used for decades without any of the context and history considered.
I'm waiting for the end of season statistic that tells us more Spurs fans are arrested for saying Yid than arrests made of actual supporters guilty of anti-Semitic abuse.
