Arsenal are assisting the police with a probe into anti-Semitic comments sent in the Ashburton Army's WhatsApp group.
The Ashburton Army is a prominent fan organisation which the Gunners have helped in recent years. They number about 200 members and those keen to join must prove they are willing to work on flags, banners and songs, attend meetings and participate in charitable activities.
Though it is independent from the club itself, the group has strong links with Arsenal, with 100 tickets in the Clock End lower tier reserved for members. The Gunners have also supported funding for two banners and help with storage between matches.
But the Ashburton Army are now facing accusations that anti-Semitic messages were sent on their WhatsApp group. According to The Guardian, the messages largely focus on the Holocaust, but also comprise Israel-Palestine conspiracy theories, Jewish practice related to circumcision and Tottenham ’s reputation as a Jewish club.
The anti-Semitic sentiments are communicated in words, songs, memes and cartoons, with dozens of messages having been sent. Some target all Jews, though several are aimed at one Jewish fan who had been part of the group.
The screenshots seen by The Guardian show that at no point did an administrator delete the offending posts, remonstrate with the perpetrators or remove those responsible from the group.
Arsenal are understood to have been made aware of the messages when they were sent in 2019, but decided against taking further action after approaching the principal target of the messages.
Instead they warned the Ashburton Army about the future conduct of its members. The club have also reiterated their desire to make the Emirates Stadium a safe environment for supporters at risk of discrimination.
“We are aware of the historic messages on a private WhatsApp group and we strongly condemn the abusive and discriminatory language being used. We are liaising with the police on the matter," they said in a statement to the Guardian.
“Our ongoing action shows that abusive and discriminatory behaviour will not be tolerated at Arsenal. Our inclusion programmes designed for our local community aim to support education on the topics of abuse and discrimination, while our global platforms will continue to give a voice and bring focus to matters of equality, diversity and inclusion.
"We will also continue to campaign alongside our supporters’ groups, including our new Jewish Gooners group and the Jewish community, to celebrate and champion our diverse family with the aim of ensuring everyone feels welcome at Arsenal.”
The Metropolitan Police have confirmed they are aware of the messages and that an investigation is ongoing. So far, no arrests have been made, though the police have insisted they will do everything they can to identify the offenders.
The Ashburton Army have condemned the posts and confirmed they will assist with the investigation. A statement read: “We strongly condemn any form of racism and antisemitic talk as we are a group with many religions and races and have Jewish members. We will continue to educate members and work with the club throughout the investigation.”
The Mirror has contacted Arsenal for comment.
