Men face 3 years in jail in France and could face football bans of 10 years

Prime Minister has called the video taken after game in Paris 'disturbing'

Raising a toast with Nigel Farage, this is one of the Chelsea fans caught up in claims of racist behaviour.

Former public schoolboy Josh Parsons, 20, was named on Twitter as one of the men standing in the carriage where a group shoved a black man off a Paris train.

Last night Chelsea said it was suspending three supporters over the incident, in which racist chants were made, although it is not known whether season ticket holder Mr Parsons is among them.

There is no suggestion at present that he was involved in either the pushing or chanting.

The Premier League club said it was grateful for the ‘substantial information’ it had received so far following the incident on the Paris Metro before the club’s Champions League match on Tuesday.

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Pictured: The Chelsea fan pictured on a train where fans were heard singing a racist chant, Josh Parsons, published a picture of himself having a drink with Nigel Farage with the caption: UKIP BOYS! 'What a geezer'

On camera: Friends said Josh Parsons, left, who attended £30,000-a-year Millfield School appears (circled) in this image from the horrifying video

The picture of him with the Ukip leader was taken outside a London pub last year and posted on Instagram with the caption: ‘UKIP BOYS! What a geezer.’

Mr Parsons, of Dorking, Surrey, attended £30,000-a-year Millfield School and works as an assistant at the Mayfair financial services firm The Business and Commercial Finance Club.

His employers said yesterday that he will not return to his job until they have investigated the incident, which took place after Chelsea’s Champions League game against Paris Saint-German on Tuesday night.

A spokesman for the company said: ‘We are utterly opposed to racism in all of its forms and would never tolerate racist conduct among any employee. We are investigating the events in Paris and Mr Parsons will not return to work until we have conducted a full and thorough investigation.’

Last night he was identified on Twitter as one of the men standing in the carriage where a group pushed the commuter twice in shocking footage. Moments later, chants of 'We're racist and that's the way we like it' broke out.

Tonight, a Chelsea spokesman said: ‘Chelsea Football Club is suspending three people from Stamford Bridge as a result of investigations into the incident on the Paris Metro on Tuesday.

‘If it is deemed there is sufficient evidence of their involvement in the incident, the club will issue banning orders for life.

‘We have received substantial information to date following our witness appeal and we are grateful to the many Chelsea supporters who have provided information so far.

‘Our investigations are on-going and we would request any further information is sent to customer.services@chelseafc.com.

‘We also continue to cooperate fully with the Metropolitan and Paris police forces who lead the ongoing criminal investigation.’

Mr Parsons is yet to speak about the incident and there was no answer at his £1.5million six-bedroom family home in Surrey yesterday, which he apparently shares with his grandmother.

Victim: Father-of-three Souleymane S was revealed as the man pushed off a Metro train as Chelsea fans chanted a racist song. The office manager was trying to get home to his family and will go to to the police

It came as the Frenchman pushed off the Metro train was revealed to be Souleymane S, 33, who said the Chelsea supporters 'should be punished' after the attack 'because of the colour of my skin'.

Paris prosecutors have confirmed he made a complaint last night and that anyone convicted could face a prison term of up to three years and a fine of up to £33,000 (€45,000).

We have received substantial information to date following our witness appeal and we are grateful to the many Chelsea supporters who have provided information so far Chelsea spokesman

Mr Parsons, a former pupil of Millfield School, where fees are £11,150-a-term for boarders, studies business at Regent's University London, a friend said.

A university spokesman said any alleged illegal or inappropriate behaviour by a student would be investigated and 'appropriate' action would be taken.

Ash Williams wrote on Twitter: 'That is Josh Parsons in the black jacket (second from right), season ticket holder.'

His former school, in Street, Somerset, was attended by James Hewitt, singer Lily Allen and several sports stars. Yesterday, Mr Parsons' social media profiles had been taken down.

His aunt Louise told the London Evening Standard: 'He is a lovely boy and has never been in any trouble. He is a lifelong Chelsea fan and that has never been a problem.

Property: Police outside the Surrey family home of Chelsea fan Josh Parsons, 20, who is yet to speak out about the incident

Education: Mr Parsons was a student at Millfield School in Somerset, one of Britain's most famous private schools, attended by James Hewitt, singer Lily Allen and several sports stars

'I have seen the footage but have not yet spoken to him. We do not know what to make of it but it is a shock to the family. He is a lovely gentle boy who would not hurt anyone. It has come out of the blue.'

Defence: Finance worker Josh Parsons is just a '21-year-old little boy who was in the wrong place at the wrong time', his boss said yesterday

A friend said that Parsons was a backer of Ukip, but a Ukip spokesman condemned the Paris incident and said Mr Parsons was not a party member, adding: ‘We have never heard of him. Mr Farage is photographed with and by dozens of people, both by supporters and opponents, on a daily basis.’

'UKIP and Mr Farage find the behaviour of the suspected Chelsea fans on the Paris Metro to be disgraceful, and shames both the country and Chelsea Football Club.

'We are delighted that the identities of these people are being revealed, and that they will face the full force of the law.'

Coach Jose Mourinho, who is said to be appalled by the disturbing images of the club's own fans, is expected to address the issue at a training ground press conference tomorrow.

Mr Parsons now works for the Business and Commercial Finance Club in central London. Speaking outside its Mayfair office yesterday morning, his boss Miranda Khadr said Mr Parsons would not be coming into work.

She said: 'At this stage we are in a situation where this is very much Josh and his personal matters. Should he be charged we will be looking at taking action.

'He is very scared at the moment and he called me to say he is not coming in today. He is not that type of person at all (to have taken part in racist chants), he works with me and I'm not English.

'He is a 21-year-old little boy who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.'

Supporter: Friends of Mr Parsons, pictured left holding a Chelsea flag, say he is a 'die hard' supporter of the club following all over England and Europe

Statement: Nigel Farage said he poses for photos every day and doesn't 'vet people outside pubs'

Yesterday a second man on the metro train stood behind Mr Parsons was named locally at Jordan Munday, from south-east London.

A source close to him said he had gone to the police to help with their investigation, but denied he sang any racist chants or assaulted the victim. Scotland Yard could not confirm that this afternoon.

There is no suggestion that either was involved in the pushing of the passenger or the racist chanting. However, having been inside the carriage during the incident, both will be key witnesses for the police.

These people, these English supporters ought to be found, punished and ought to be locked up. What happened should not go unpunished Souleymane S, victim

Prosecutors have already launched a criminal enquiry for 'voluntary racial violence on public transport', which is punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine equivalent to £33,000.

Speaking for the first time, Souleymane S said: 'I didn't know that I was filmed. The fact that it is being talked about has given me the courage to go and make a complaint to the police.

'These people, these English supporters ought to be found, punished and ought to be locked up. What happened should not go unpunished.'

Souleymane lives in the Val-d'Oise department in the north of Paris, and was on his way home from his job close to the Richelieu-Drouot Metro station, in central Paris, soon after 7pm on Tuesday.

He tried to get on to a train, but found it packed with Chelsea fans on their way to watch the London side's European Champions League game against Paris St Germain.

He told Le Parisien: 'I wanted to get into the carriage but a group of English fans blocked me and pushed me away.

'I tried to force my way on, I kept trying to get back on. In the scramble, I lost my phone. They told me things in English but I did not really understand the meaning of their words.

On the train: Chelsea fan Jordan Munday has been named locally as also being on the train. There is no suggestion he was involved in the pushing of the passenger or the racist chanting but could be a key witness for police

Hunt: Police in France and Britain are working to identify the football fans captured in this film

Shame: The Chelsea supporters were filmed pushing a black man off the packed train at Richelieu-Drouot station on the Paris Metro

'I don't speak a word of English. I understood that they were Chelsea fans, and I made the connection with the PSG match, which was taking place the same evening.

'I also understood that they were attacking me because of the colour of my skin. You know, I live with racism, I was not really surprised by what happened to me, even if it was a first in the Metro.

'I stood in front of them for a long time. Someone came up to me afterwards and said I'd been brave to stand up to such people. I think the whole thing lasted about six or seven minutes.

We do not know what to make of it but it is a shock to the family. He is a lovely gentle boy who would not hurt anyone Josh Parsons's aunt Louise

Referring to Metro workers, Souleymane said: 'After while, RATP staff intervened, but only to make sure there wasn't any fighting. Their aim was to make sure the traffic resumed on the line. No other passengers defended me, but anyway, what could anyone do?

'Then the train left, and I walked away, and waited for the next train. I went home and didn't mention what happened to anyone, not even my wife and children.'

'What was I meant to say to my children? That Dad was pushed and shoved in the Metro because he's black? That's hopeless'.

The Prime Minister has called the video – shot after Chelsea drew with Paris Saint- Germain on Tuesday night in the UEFA Champions League – 'extremely disturbing'. Chelsea Football Club labelled it 'abhorrent'.

It evokes the hooliganism that plagued the team in the 1970s. Last night, UK police were hunting those pictured as Chelsea launched a hotline for fans to turn them in.

They face three years in prison if caught in France, and Scotland Yard said it would consider barring them from matches for up to ten years. David Cameron said: 'I'm sure the French police will be looking at it very seriously.'

Drama: The man can then be seen remonstrating with the fans, asking for them to let him on and appearing to insist there is sufficient room for him to stand - but he is then pushed off again

Football violence: The footage was filmed before the Premier League team's 1-1 draw in a Champions League fixture with Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes

The minute-long video was filmed by a British expatriate who sent it to The Guardian. In it, the black man attempts to board, but the gang shove him off.

The commuter, who is not wearing club colours, asks them to let him on. They shout and push him as he tries to board again.

Upset: Chelsea's first black player, Paul Canonville has called for the men to be banned from football for life

A black woman leaves by another door as chants of 'We're racist, we're racist, and that's the way we like it' start.

Paul Nolan, who filmed the clip, told The Guardian: 'He was obviously completely shocked … I don't think he realised who they were. There definitely was a culture shock. I heard a couple of French guys saying: 'I can't believe this. It's insane.'

The fans also chanted 'Where were you in World War Two?' at French passengers, he said.

Chelsea's first black star, Paul Canoville, said the men must be banned for life – but a fan who was on the train claimed it was not a racist attack.

Mitchell McCoy, 17, said: 'A few people were pushing him off because there wasn't much space. People were saying it was because he was black. It's not true at all. I think it's because he was a PSG fan.'

Of the chanting, he said: 'That song was about John Terry. The only words I know is 'He's a racist, he's a racist'.'

Terry was banned for four matches and fined £220,000 in 2012 for racially abusing then QPR star Anton Ferdinand.

The Paris prosecutors' office said it was investigating 'racial violence on public transport', punishable by three years in prison and a £33,000 fine.

There were also reports of UK fans singing anti-Semitic songs and imitating the sound of gas escaping, a vile reference to the Holocaust.