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Chelsea Fans Seen Holding Flag Featuring Nazi Symbol

The conduct of elements of Chelsea’s support "has come under further scrutiny" after images posted on social media showed traveling fans in Budapest last week "holding a Chelsea Headhunters flag featuring a Nazi symbol," according to Dominic Fifield of the London GUARDIAN. The photographs "reveal a group holding a banner, on which is displayed SS death’s head insignia," outside a bar before Thursday’s Europa League tie against Vidi. The club "would go on to condemn a small section" of its supporters at the Groupama Arena that night for antisemitic chanting. UEFA's disciplinary body is "still reviewing reports from the match officials before deciding whether to charge" the Premier League side. A decision "is expected early this coming week and, if the fans are found guilty, Chelsea will face the partial closure of Stamford Bridge" at a future European match. The club is aware of the images posted on Twitter, which reference the Chelsea Headhunters, "a notorious hooligan firm whose roots date from the late 1960s," with the slogans concerned "having long since been banned from Stamford Bridge." The club knew a group of around 40 supporters had traveled independently to Hungary without tickets, "apparently with no intention of attending the fixture," and, with club stewards "having monitored who entered the away end," Chelsea is confident the banner "did not make it into the stadium" (GUARDIAN, 12/16). In London, Martyn Ziegler reported Chelsea Owner Roman Abramovich "requested reports on Chelsea’s attempts to clamp down on the fans who sang antisemitic songs" during the Vidi match. Chelsea asked the Hungarian club for CCTV footage that it hopes will enable it to "identify the vocal minority" of traveling fans responsible for the chanting, "which has disgusted Abramovich and everyone at Stamford Bridge." Midfielder Cesc Fàbregas said that he was happy for Chelsea to be "taught a lesson" over fans' racism if it led to better behavior from supporters. Abramovich "took a prominent role this year in Chelsea launching a campaign against antisemitism," which is a problem among some fans that is "often exacerbated" when the team plays Tottenham (LONDON TIMES, 12/15). In London, Sam Wallace reported the skull design on the Chelsea Headhunters flag "is copied from that of the SS-Totenkopf, which was used throughout the Third Reich but especially by the SS." Above the skull is the line, "You have been nominated and dealt with by the Chelsea Headhunters," part of the mythologizing of the violence of the '60s and '70s, when there were "close links to the National Front" (TELEGRAPH, 12/15).

UNDER THE MICROSCOPE: Fifield also reported Chelsea Chair Bruce Buck "took it upon himself to greet away supporters" at Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday as the club "sought to prevent a repeat of the alleged racism and antisemitism which had marred their previous two games." Buck, accompanied by Chelsea Dir of Communications & Public Affairs Steve Atkins "stood outside the away fans' turnstiles before the team’s 2-1 win and spoke with supporters as they entered the stadium." The Chelsea chair was "eager to offer a very visible face after recent events" and "made it clear to those with whom he spoke that this was an important day for Chelsea’s image," with the world watching after the recent controversies (GUARDIAN, 12/16).

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