Paris Metro racist abuse victim calls for Chelsea fans' punishment Published duration 19 February 2015

image copyright The guardian

The man who was stopped from boarding a Paris train by what appeared to be Chelsea football fans chanting racist slogans says they should be punished.

The 33-year-old, named as Souleymane S, told France's Le Parisien : "These people, these English fans... should be locked up."

A video shows him trying to get on a Metro carriage but being pushed off.

A group of people can be heard singing: "We're racist, we're racist and that's the way we like it."

The footage was obtained by the Guardian , which reported that the incident happened at Richelieu-Drouot station in the centre of the French capital on Tuesday ahead of a Champions League match.

English fans

In the interview with Le Parisien, Souleymane S said he had not been particularly surprised by the abuse because he "lives with racism".

The father of three, a French-Mauritanian born in Paris, said he had not understood what the fans were saying but that he knew he was being targeted because of the colour of his skin.

media caption Paul Nolan told Radio 4's Today programme it was a "threatening" scene

Transport officers arrived but only wanted to make sure there was not a fight taking place.

He said he had no idea he was being filmed, and had not told anyone about the incident.

"What could I tell my children? That daddy was shoved around on the Metro because he is black?

"That would be pointless."

But he said that now the incident had emerged publicly he had the confidence to file a police complaint.

"These people, these English fans, need to be found and punished, and should be locked up," he added.

"What happened should not go unpunished."

Hate speech

UK Prime Minister David Cameron said the incident appeared to be "extremely disturbing and very worrying".

It follows long-standing controversy over racism in football generally.

Although the episode is believed to have involved British fans, the comments made by Souleymane S also come amid disquiet over increasing intolerance in France.

"Despite advances in legislation and measures to combat intolerance and racism, discrimination and hate speech not only persist in France but are on the rise," he said.

image copyright Clicsouris

London's Metropolitan Police has said it is taking the Paris Metro incident "very seriously".

In a statement it said it would assist the French authorities to identify the people involved and support them in any action they chose to take.

Chelsea FC said it would help police, and any fans involved faced a ban.

A spokesman for the club said the fans' actions had "no place in football or society".

British expatriate Paul Nolan, who filmed the incident on his phone, told the BBC it was an "ugly scene" and "very aggressive".

Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme he said he could hear mentions of World War Two as well as the racist chanting.

One voice is heard on the video singing: "Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea."