Leeds group decries ‘minority’ at Wembley as Chelsea Pride criticise police | OneFootball

Leeds supporters’ group Marching Out Together has voiced disappointment at a small minority of fans after homophobic chanting at Wembley, and says it has offered further help to the club on the issue. According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, the intervention followed criticism of the police response from Chelsea Pride.

There were 14 arrests for various offences on Sunday as Leeds lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final, and a further 16 Leeds supporters could face prosecution for homophobic chanting. The ‘rent boy’ chant is a criminal offence and deemed a homophobic slur.

Chelsea Pride argued officers failed to act before, during and after the match. The group said repeated ‘rent boy’ chants were heard around Wembley Park station, Wembley Way and Empire Way, in full public view, and that even explicit reports of a homophobic hate crime brought no intervention.

Marching Out Together called the behaviour unacceptable and said everyone should feel safe and included regardless of sexual orientation. The group said rivalry must not tip into discrimination and that it will continue working with Leeds United and football authorities where needed.

The day also featured repeated Jimmy Savile chants from Chelsea supporters. Leeds United have previously urged the Crown Prosecution Service and the game’s authorities to class such songs as tragedy chanting and a public order offence, in line with songs about the Munich air disaster or the murder of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight in Istanbul.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk