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What’s the Worst? Committing Abuse or Accusing Someone of it Without Proof?

Originally posted on Just Arsenal | Last updated Jul 18, 2025 11:30 AM ET

There can be no doubt that abuse exists in the UK, and that includes football, but it is not exclusive to the game. It is something that should never be tolerated in any shape or form and is repugnant to most of us.

Our club has done so much to eradicate abuse from inside the Emirates, where they have been able to control the situation very quickly and issue their own punishments through bans, season ticket withdrawal and public statements via the media.

Inside the stadium vs outside the gates

Of course, we still hear chants such as “What do you think of Tottenham” or “Stand up if you hate Tottenham”, but these rarely cause problems and are generally seen as banter rather than abuse. There are other, more personal insults that are sung about individuals. I am not sure what any football club can do about those, other than identify individuals and make an example of them.

It is what happens outside the ground that causes the real problems, and I will give you an example.
It was reported that five men were making monkey gestures behind a barrier as the PSG coach departed from the Emirates Stadium. This immediately becomes a situation for the authorities to handle, not the football club. The report also stated there was no way of identifying these five morons as supporting any individual club, but PSG officials recorded the incident and handed the video to the police.
Let us hope all five are identified and punished accordingly.

In the return leg, there was a man in the away end clearly singing abusive songs. His photograph was taken and his image was as clear as daylight, yet he was not removed from the ground and no arrests were made. I find that extraordinary and deeply worrying.

Selective outrage and media double standards

But here is the punchline. After the game, riot police using tear gas and water cannons were called in to break up gangs of identified PSG fans running riot. One young fan was stabbed to death, while another was seriously injured after a car was driven into the crowd. It was mayhem involving hundreds, if not thousands, of PSG fans, as reported by the gendarme the following day.

Yet no headlines, no articles, no condemnation followed from the same organisations and individuals who had no hesitation in blaming Arsenal fans and smearing our club.
Let us just take a step back here.

They were very quick to blame “Arsenal fans” for attacking the PSG bus and it was headline news the next day, yet I have not seen a single report in the British press about the incidents in Paris. I wonder why?

You see, mud sticks, and when unproven claims are made, we need our club and supporters to stand up and challenge the media.

As an Arsenal supporter for many years, it felt as though all fans were being tainted with the brush of abusive behaviour. Some were even accusing the club and its supporters of ignoring it, and cited other instances to back up that claim.

If we truly want to stamp out abuse, should the reporting not be unbiased, factual and proven before hurling accusations?

I was asked by a Scottish neighbour if I was proud of my club and the hooligans who support it.
You see how mud sticks?

I am sick and tired of the media running down our club at every opportunity, often based on the actions of a minority who are wrongly presumed to represent the majority.

Being a moron is one thing, but their behaviour gives others the opportunity to paint the rest of us the same way. It is something we should all stand together on and, once the facts are known, act accordingly. If the media are lying or showing hypocrisy, we should call that out too.

So, in answer to my question, I absolutely believe that individuals who act like idiots should be treated like idiots. But please, do not judge the rest of us by their behaviour – at least not without proof.

I have never seen riot police outside the Emirates, and I am certain I never will.

Ken1945

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This article first appeared on Just Arsenal and was syndicated with permission.

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