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Football fans often don't realise their chants are antisemitic, says Ivor Baddiel

Campaigner and writer says: 'As Jews, we understand it is antisemitic but I think a lot of people don't realise that'

May 21, 2019 08:42
Ivor Baddiel on Sky Sports' Tackling Racism Panel
1 min read

Footballs fans who sing antisemitic chants often "don't realise" they are being racist, a prominent campaigner and writer has said.

Ivor Baddiel, who wrote a film raising awareness of Jew-hate on the terraces in December, was speaking on Sky Sports' Tackling Racism panel on Monday when he said "a lot" of those chanting "don't realise that they are being antisemitic".

"Part of the whole confusion with the issue - and that's why programmes like this are so good - is, I would argue, that a lot of people don't realise that they are being antisemitic," Mr Baddiel told the panel.

"I think they think they are [often] being anti-Tottenham and therefore [they think] that is OK.