British soccer club Arsenal has launched a plan to combat antisemitism in soccer in the wake of fans being banned for antisemitic behavior.
The Islington, London-based team will start an new fan organization, “Jewish Gooners,” a takeoff on the word “Gooners” which refers to the team’s fans, as a way to combat antisemitism in the sport.
The move comes on top of having banned five fans for three years each after anti-Jewish acts recently occurred online and in their Emirates Stadium.
The bans came alongside 31 other fan punishments for abusive and discriminatory behavior, including multiple forms of racism and death threats, according to the Jewish Chronicle.
In January, Arsenal officials announced they were investigating two “disturbing” antisemitic incidents that occurred during a recent match against north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, a team long known for its sizeable Jewish fanbase.
Arsenal condemned the behavior of the fans in a statement, describing to the BBC that in one case a team supporter made “grossly offensive” statements and that in the other, antisemitic chants allegedly took place at a pub in Islington, where Arsenal is based.
The Jewish Gooners group’s goal will be to create a more inclusive environment for Jewish fans while also working to combat antisemitism, according to the report. It is the result of two years of discussions between the team and Jewish fans, and will also enable observant Jewish season ticket holders to give their tickets for games that fall on Shabbat to friends.
“We’re very pleased to welcome the Jewish Gooners supporters’ club to the Arsenal family,” Arsenal spokesperson Mark Brindle told the news outlet. “We’ve already worked together on a number of initiatives and we’re looking forward to building on this in the future. Their counsel and support helps our ongoing drive against abuse and discrimination and we’ll work collaboratively, as we do with all our supporters’ clubs around the world, to celebrate and champion our diverse communities with the aim of ensuring everyone feels welcome at Arsenal.”
