Three Arsenal fans have been hit with three-year bans from football after being found guilty of tragedy chanting.
The trio were accused earlier this season in the aftermath of Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat against Liverpool in the FA Cup back in January – a Jakub Kiwior own goal and Luis Diaz strike securing victory for the Reds. And now, the three fans have been hit with severe punishments by the Gunners after pleading guilty.
A statement from Arsenal on Thursday evening read: “Three Arsenal supporters have each received a three-year football banning order after pleading guilty to a section five public order offence (tragedy chanting) which took place at our home fixture against Liverpool on Sunday, January 7.
“We strongly condemn this abhorrent behaviour. We have worked closely with the police to ensure swift action was taken and we welcome the football banning orders handed out. We have a zero-tolerance approach to tragedy chanting and will always ensure strong action is taken against those found guilty of such behaviour.”
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The decision from Arsenal comes after a clamp-down on tragedy-relating chanting. The Crown Prosecution Service released new guidance on possible punishments in August last year.
Speaking at the time, Football Association Chief Executive, Mark Bullingham, said: “Tragedy related abuse is completely unacceptable and has no place in our game. This behaviour is highly offensive and can have a lasting effect on the families, friends and communities who have been devastatingly impacted by these events.
“We welcome the new guidance from the Crown Prosecution Service to tackle incidents of this nature – which could lead to football bans and potential criminal proceedings.”
That clamp down has continued throughout the campaign. Two Manchester United fans were arrested on Monday for tragedy chanting during the Red Devils’ dramatic FA Cup win against Liverpool.
“We are aware of the reported tragedy chanting during today’s FA Cup fixture between Manchester United and Liverpool, and we will be liaising with and supporting Greater Manchester Police,” an FA statement read at the time.
“We strongly condemn any offensive, abusive and discriminatory chants in football stadiums, and we are determined to stamp this behaviour out. It is entirely unacceptable and can have a lasting and damaging impact on people and communities within our game. It must stop, and we support any club and their fans who try to eradicate this from the terraces.”
A further update from Greater Manchester Police confirmed that a man had subsequently been charged for the offence.
