Why 21 cases of abusive and discriminatory behaviour at Arsenal is 21 too many

Abusive and discriminatory behaviour are completely unacceptable no matter how many or few instances there are

Not that video again...

Did you see the latest Arsenal Against Discrimination video at the Wolves match?

It’ll doubtless be played again on Saturday for the Brighton match.

Do you ever wonder why we are watching yet another warning against hate crimes when you’ve never seen one yourself on a matchday?

Have you ever wondered why they keep on about it?

The club says there were only twenty-one confirmed cases of supporters using abusive and discriminatory behaviour during the 2023-24 season.

Out of 60,000 multiplied by the number of matches played at the Emirates, that’s tiny, surely?

And as most of us haven’t seen it or experienced it, let alone done it, why raise it?

The issue is that it’s happening at all.

That it’s completely unacceptable no matter how many or few instances there are. 

It’s also an issue that if it is seen, it’s invariably passed over as banter or that the problem will go away without need for intervention.

Except for the person on the receiving end, it does not go away; it remains and damages, if not physically, then mentally.

Yet if we’ve not seen it, what are we looking for? 

What does abuse and discrimination look like?

Websites describe it as sexual assault, tragedy chanting, offensive gestures, racism, homophobia. . . . and shockingly, all of these have been reported at the Emirates.

So what can we do to stop it?

Police outside the stadium have body cams to record any abuse they see, as do increasing numbers of club stewards inside the ground.

Their video evidence can be used when bringing action against abusers. And what is the sanction for those who are caught? The police can bring charges against individuals.

But the club can – and does – take its own steps - removing season tickets and access to the stadium.

Of the supporters found guilty last season, each has been handed bans of at least one year, with fourteen handed three-year bans, meaning they cannot attend any Arsenal match home or away during that period.

But however many police, stewards and cameras there are, there are more potential witnesses who can report abuse. Us. The supporters.

If we see something that doesn’t look right, we should be reporting it.

It may not be happening in front of us all the time, but we should be mindful and aware – and if we see it, as the club says in its publicity – tell someone or text ‘FOUL’ to 67777 ((and taking screenshots if possible).

Although it can also be reported online after, reporting it there and then, while it’s happening, is by far the most effective approach.

The end game isn’t necessarily to see people fined or banged up. The risk of losing season tickets and access to the stadium might be enough to deter most abusers.

But all punishments are just last resorts. The real prize would be for abuse and discrimination not to be happening at all.

In truth, it shouldn't be happening anywhere, but travelling to and from a match or while inside the stadium, we’re all together as Arsenal supporters, representing the club as much as the players, whatever gender, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief, and we should be supporting each other.

We should not be abusing one another. We’re better than that. We are Arsenal.

The website for reporting online can be found at (https://www.arsenal.com/news/report-abuse-and-discrimination)

Next: online abuse – what the club, players and staff have to contend with and what the club is doing about it..