JFS pupils targeted by ‘dirty Jew’ and ‘gas chamber’ chants at football match

JFS pupils were subjected to antisemitic chants during an under-15 football match held near Norwich late last week, with reports that spectators shouted abuse including “go back to the gas chambers” and “dirty Jew”.

As reported by The Telegraph, an under-15s national football tournament match, at JFS were playing Thorpe St Andrew School in Norfolk, spectators also yelled “Zionists. Dirty Zionists”, with a mixed-race JFS player being targeted with the slur “N-word Jew”.

Both Norfolk police and the English Schools Football Association subsequently confirmed that they had received reports of the abuse and were investigating.

JFS players confirmed to the Telegraph that they had been subjected to these chants. One described how they “left the match feeling shocked, ashamed and really hurt by what was said from the other side.” Another said: “I felt targeted and threatened because of my Judaism. It’s hard to describe how much it hurt to hear those words, and it left me feeling disgraced and worried about what else might happen.”

JFS subsequently wrote to parents on Friday, describing “unacceptable” behaviour by spectators at the match, and confirming that the school was collecting statements from all students present at the game, whom they said “should never have had to put up with the abuse that was thrown at them yesterday.”

A spokesperson for the trust that includes Thorpe St Andrew school said: “Clearly, antisemitic behaviour of any kind is completely unacceptable and runs counter to the culture and values at our school. We are taking this extremely seriously and have launched a full investigation into the concerns raised.”

The trust representative went on to say that “we will investigate this fully and take action where necessary.”

In a statement from Campaign Against Antisemitism, the organisation said: “It appears that the concerns raised about the chants were not dealt with at the time of the incident, and so the complaints have rightly been elevated to the police.

“There is no excuse for this kind of outrageous and potentially criminal behaviour. We urge the police to investigate and any offenders must face the full force of the law.”

JFS lost the quarter final match 4-1, but there have been calls for Thorpe St Andrew to be disqualified from the national football competition, in which hundreds of schools from around the country have been participating.