Leeds United fans could be prosecuted for homophobic chanting at FA Cup semi as arrest total is revealed
News from The Metropolitan Police on arrests in and around Wembley Stadium as Leeds United faced Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals.
The Metropolitan Police say there were just 14 arrests in and around Wembley Stadium as an 80,000-plus crowd saw Leeds United take on Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final.
Chelsea squeezed past their Premier League rivals thanks to Enzo Fernandez’ first-half goal in blazing sunshine, with the official attendance announced as 82,542.
The YEP was contacted by a Leeds fan who reported an outbreak of fighting between fans of the two clubs as they mixed upon leaving the ground at full-time, having been allowed to exit at the same time. But according to the Met, despite the huge numbers packed into the national stadium there were very few arrests.
A Met Police spokesperson said: “Sunday’s FA Cup Semi-Final between Leeds and Chelsea at Wembley passed off largely without incident. There were 14 arrests in or around the stadium for offences including GBH, ABH, affray, assault on an emergency worker, common assault and tailgating.”
But a similar number of Leeds supporters could yet find themselves being prosecuted for homophobic chanting.
“Will be reported for consideration of prosecution for other offences”
The Met spokesperson told the YEP: “A further 18 people were not arrested but will be reported for consideration of prosecution for other offences. This includes 16 Leeds fans who were seen and heard to be engaged in homophobic chanting.”
Leeds fans were told by their club ahead of a 2024 meeting with Chelsea that a specific chant had been criminalised by the Crown Prosecution Service.
A club statement at the time said: “It is important that all supporters understand that the ‘rent boy’ chant is a homophobic slur and hate crime.
“It was made a prosecutable offence by the Crown Prosecution Service in January 2022, the main public agency for prosecuting crimes in England and Wales.
“Following the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service making it a prosecutable offence for anyone to sing or use the words, the FA communicated to all its clubs its intention to pursue formal disciplinary action relating to the chant in January 2023.”
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Pope, back in the starting line-up for the first time in two months, came charging off his line to win the ball but instead missed it before bringing down striker Viktor Gyokeres.
There was a VAR check after referee Sam Barrott showed Pope a yellow card, and the officials at Stockley Park stood by the on-field decision.
Alan Shearer disagrees with Mikel Arteta over Nick Pope decision
Gyokeres was still some way out from goal and Malick Thiaw was behind Pope covering, however Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was adamant that the Magpies’ goalkeeper should have walked.
In response, Shearer told The Rest is Football Podcast: “No chance. It’s never a red card, you have to understand the laws. He’s going away from goal and there’s a covering defender there, so it’s not a clear goalscoring opportunity.
“Once again, not for the first time in his career, Nick Pope comes running out without collecting the ball and then missing the ball, but it’s never a red chance. The referee got it right, it was a yellow card.”
‘Arsenal were there for the taking’ – Alan Shearer
Arsenal won the game thanks to Eberechi Eze’s ninth-minute strike to return to the top of the Premier League table, three points above Manchester City, who have a game in hand after being in FA Cup semi-final action against Southampton on the same day.
For Newcastle, it was a fourth straight Premier League defeat, making it nine defeats in their last 12 matches to leave them 14th in the table with just four matches left to play.
Shearer was encouraged by the Magpies’ improved performance but felt the nerve-jangling Gunners were ‘there for the taking’.
“Arsenal were there for the taking, Newcastle should have got something out of that game,” Shearer continued. [Yoane] Wissa, even the [Will] Osula chance, they had two great chances.
“Positives for Newcastle is they were much, much better than last week. They had more energy, looked up for the fight and fighting for their manager. The disappointing thing is it was another defeat, Arsenal were there for the taking.”