Chelsea fans pictured with ‘Nazi flag’
Image believed to have been taken in Budapest Issue follows club apology over anti-Semitic chants
Elements of Chelsea’s support base came under further scrutiny last night after pictures emerged of a Chelsea flag bearing Nazi insignia, which is thought to have been taken to Budapest ahead of the Europa League tie there this week.
The photographs, which have been circulating on social media and show a flag that features a skull design used by the Nazi SS, are understood to have been taken ahead of Thursday’s game with MOL Vidi, although the club are adamant that the flag did not find its way into the Groupama Arena. Chelsea were forced to issue a statement that night condemning the anti-Semitic chanting of a section of their own fans.
The club are already facing the partial closure of Stamford Bridge in a future European tie for that offence, if it is proved by Uefa. One Chelsea supporter is under investigation by the Metropolitan Police over allegations of racism against Raheem Sterling during the Premier League game against Manchester City last weekend.
The flag in question features the Chelsea Headhunters, a once notorious hooligan element attached to the club in the 1970s, and includes the slogan “No Surrender”, the Red Hand of Ulster, the Rangers badge and the skull.
Chelsea always travel with a team of stewards and specialist Met Police officers to make sure any flag with racist or extremist political views is not permitted inside stadiums. They believe that the flag was brought to Hungary by a group of 30-40 fans who travelled without tickets and had no intention of attending the game. The club would have banned any fan trying to bring it into a match.
Providing the flag was not in the stadium there will be no Uefa action and Chelsea say they cannot prevent supporters whom they have banned from Stamford Bridge travelling abroad for games.
The skull design is copied from that of the SS-Totenkopf, and was used throughout the Third Reich but especially by the SS who grew from the Nazi paramilitary group to run concentration camps, form death squads and operate as a secret police.
There were 1,273 Chelsea fans at the Groupama Arena and the club are trying to identify those who took part in the anti-Semitic chants.