Tottenham and Arsenal have called on fans from both clubs to be proactive in stamping out offensive chanting which marred Sunday’s north London derby at White Hart Lane.
Spurs’ 2-1 victory over their bitter local rivals was overshadowed by abusive jeers from both the home and away stands.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was taunted, while some sections of the travelling supporters mocked the deadly gun attack on the Togo team bus in January 2010 which Emmanuel Adebayor survived, which Spurs boss Harry Redknapp blasted as “disgusting”.
Tottenham confirmed several fans from both the home and away sections of the crowd were ejected from White Hart Lane during the game. In line with the club’s zero-tolerance policy on abusive chanting, they have also promised to ban any guilty party for life.
Arsenal, meanwhile, intend to work closely with their counterparts across north London to root out the offenders.
Under a subheading of ‘Spurs against discrimination’ on their official website, Tottenham called for help from their fans to find the perpetrators.
“We should like to remind all of our supporters that we do not tolerate discrimination of any sort at the club, on the pitch or in the stands,” the statement read.
“If you experience any form of discrimination, help us to eliminate it from football. We have a fantastic atmosphere at the Lane and by working together we can prevent the small minority ruining it for everyone.”
Arsenal were also strong in their condemnation of the incidents.
When asked about the situation in his post-match press conference, Wenger had said: “We respect everybody and we want to be respected as well.”
Like Tottenham, the Gunners have also stressed the need for help from within. Under the banner ‘Arsenal for Everyone’, the statement on their official website continued: “We do not tolerate discrimination of any sort at the club, on the pitch or in the stands. If you experience any form of discrimination at Emirates Stadium, please report this by texting 67777 or contact a matchday steward.”
Arsenal and Tottenham had issued a joint statement condemning Sunday’s behaviour by a minority.
“Both clubs were extremely disappointed to hear the chants from supporters at Sunday’s game,” it read.
“Neither club tolerates foul language, racist chanting, homophobic chanting or any anti-social behaviour from its supporters. We shall be working closely with each other to identify the individuals involved.”