Man arrested at Stansted Airport over West Ham fans’ aircraft chants

A man has been arrested after footage emerged of West Ham United fans chanting an antisemitic song at an Orthodox Jewish passenger on board a Ryanair aircraft.

Essex Police confirmed the 55-year-old was detained on suspicion of a hate crime at Stansted Airport on Friday, as he stepped off a flight from Belgium.

The suspect has been taken to a police station in the county for questioning.

Footage of the chanting, which went viral online, is understood to have been filmed while the aircraft was still at the stand and passengers were taking their seats.

In the clip some fans can be heard singing about arch-rivals Tottenham, referencing genitalia and circumcision, while an Orthodox Jewish man walks down the aisle.

They were travelling to watch West Ham United play Belgian side Genk in the Europa League.

The footage was condemned by the club, which said it would issue an indefinite ban to any fan identified.

Board of Deputies president Marie van der Zyl said it had been “a particularly horrible example of a Jewish man being subjected to abuse and humiliation.”

Essex Police Chief Superintendent Tom Simons said: “Essex Police will not tolerate racism or discrimination of any kind.

“Having been made aware of the incident this morning, officers worked quickly to secure an arrest at the earliest possible opportunity.”

Police said their investigation was ongoing and appealed for anyone who has information or who may have phone footage of the incident to contact them by calling 101.