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25 Jan 2012 12:04
Early morning arrests see nine football fans detained following investigation into racist chants – south London
Nine men were arrested early this morning (Wednesday, 25 January) as part of Operation Midas, a British Transport Police (BTP) investigation into suspected racist chanting by football fans on a train between Putney and Waterloo earlier this month.
Police were called on Saturday, 7 January after reports from concerned passengers that a group of fans – believed to be Charlton Athletic supporters returning from their FA Cup fixture at Fulham – were being rowdy and intimidating and had been heard chanting racist songs.
Officers immediately launched an investigation – codenamed Operation Midas – and, after working in close collaboration with Charlton Athletic, were able to quickly identify a number of people in connection with the incident.
This morning, officers, accompanied by colleagues from the Metropolitan Police and Charlton Athletic FC officials, visited addresses in Bexley, Greenwich, Lewisham and Bromley and arrested nine men:
1. A 21-year-old-man from Abbey Wood
2. A 23-year-old-man from Abbey Wood
3. A 23-year-old-man from Abbey Wood
4. A 24-year-old-man from Abbey Wood
5. A 30-year-old-man from Kidbrooke
6. A 21-year-old-man from Woowich
7. A 30-year-old-man from Lee
8. A 20-year-old-man from Orpington
9. A 24-year-old-man from Deptford
The men were taken into custody in North London for further questioning.
Detective Inspector Ashley Cooper, leading the investigation for BTP, said the men were currently helping investigators with their inquiries into the incident:
“We launched Operation Midas after a group of men, who we believe to be Charlton Athletic supporters, boarded a train at Putney and were heard chanting racist songs – something which was both offensive and extremely intimidating for other passengers on board.
“My team of detectives have worked quickly to gather evidence and by working closely with Charlton Athletic FC, coupled with excellent CCTV footage, intelligence reports and statements from witnesses, we’ve been able to move swiftly and make this morning’s arrests.”
DI Cooper added that whilst millions of people enjoy attending matches every year, there remains a small minority who see the match as only part of the day out, and for whom disorder and violence are also part of the experience:
“This minority blight the rail journeys of many ordinary passengers and stain the reputation of the game and the country,” he added. “They also continue to cause us problems that require significant resources to contain.
“We’ve had great success in dealing with these types of crimes, and serious incidents are on the decline; however, by working closely with clubs, the rail industry, and football authorities, we’re making inroads into tackling the type of anti-social behaviour that can ruin match days for law-abiding fans and members of the public.”
Charlton chief executive Stephen Kavanagh said: “This kind of abhorrent behaviour is totally condemned by our club, and in addition to assisting the police, for our own part we will be seeking to ban for life anyone who is found guilty of racially offensive chanting.
“We have been a pioneer of anti-racism and anti-discrimination initiatives in football, so although these are isolated incidents and in no way reflect the overwhelming majority of Charlton supporters, these recent arrests are saddening to all those who have worked so hard over many decades.
“We have worked closely with the British Transport Police and the club’s football intelligence officer to identify those responsible, and will continue to do all we can to ensure that racism has no place at our club or in football.”
DI Cooper continued: “Racism in our communities and on the rail network is utterly unacceptable and where it is reported to us we will do everything in our power to locate those responsible.
“Everyone has the right to go to travel without fear of abuse or threatening behaviour, and when that behaviour is further exacerbated by racist undertones, our stance becomes firmer still.”
If you have any information about this incident contact BTP on Freefone 0800 40 50 40 quoting incident B11/LSA of 23/01/2012.
Alternatively, call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Notes to Editors:
It remains part of BTP’s strategy to seek Football Banning Orders (FBOs) whenever dealing with football-related offences; in 2010/11 a total of 67 were obtained. FBOs last for a minimum of three years.
Data and statistics taken from 2010/11 Annual Report:
The end of the 2009/10 football season was problematic, with a series of football-related incidents pushing up the season’s crime figures to new highs.
In 2010/11 the situation improved, with 52 serious incidents recorded by the season’s end, compared with 68 the previous year. However, this represents a return to 2008/09 levels, and less serious incidents continued to increase during this period.
In part, the increase in less serious incidents, from 582 to 724 (up 24%), may be due to the more interventionist policing that contributed to the fall in more serious incidents. This approach may also account for a proportion of the increase in football-related arrests, up from 656 to 760, and football- related crime, up 36% to 1,029.
Police activity has been driven by a Policing Plan target to bring to justice more of those who indulge in violence and criminal antisocial behaviour: and the target was amply achieved, with a 40% increase in the number of people detected for those offences and a detection rate of 85%, up almost seven percentage points.
This is an area where police activity can easily skew the figures and it is important not to infer from these increases in arrests that there has been a proportionate increase in the number of crimes committed.
The vast majority of fans are law abiding and travel with consideration for their fellow passengers. However, a serious problem undoubtedly remains, with a minority who continue to behave in a loutish and aggressive way, something they probably wouldn’t even consider in a non-football context. Following 21 football-related assaults on police the year before last, it was pleasing to note a decline last year to 15.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM CHARLTON ATHLETIC FOOTBALL CLUB
- CAFC were the first football club to actively combat racism by holding a day dedicated to raising issues regarding discrimination at a first-team fixture. This was known as Red, White and Black Day, and the Addicks provided the driving force behind the inaugural national campaign
- Red, White and Black Day was launched soon after CAFC returned to The Valley in 1992, and this season’s event v Carlisle United on October 22nd was the 19th annual event
- In partnership with Greenwich Council, CAFC operates the Charlton Athletic Racial Equality partnership (with a specific focus on equality, diversity and cohesion), which is based at The Valley. This is the only project of its kind to be led by a local authority and professional football club, and works with dozens of local organisations
- CAFC works closely with the Charlton Athletic Community Trust, which sees 7,000 youngsters per week across South-East London and Kent, and delivers anti-racism messages
- Among the trustees of the Charlton Athletic Community Trust is former Charlton defender Paul Elliott, who is a leading anti-racism campaigner and received an MBE for his services to youth football and tackling racism in 2003
For more information contact:
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British Transport Police is the specialist, national police service for Britain’s railways. BTP deals with major and minor crime, disorder and incidents, and covers the rail system in England, Wales and Scotland, including London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, the Glasgow Subway and the Midland Metro and Croydon Tramlink systems. Its 2,914 police officers, 322 Police Community Support Officers, 190 Special Constables and 1,316 support staff are recruited and trained like those of local forces and have the same powers. Find out more at www.btp.police.uk.
The London South Area of British Transport Police covers the National Rail system in south London and the southern Home Counties, as well as the Croydon Tramlink. It employs 401 police officers, 53 Police Community Support Officers, 47 Special Constables and 79 support staff.