World Cup 2018: England fans banned after being filmed singing antisemitic song and doing Nazi salutes
David Batty and Michael Burns behaviour branded 'disgraceful' by district judge
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Your support makes all the difference.Two men have been banned from attending football matches in response to a video that appeared to show England fans singing an antisemitic song and performing Nazi salutes at the World Cup.
David Batty and Michael Burns behaviour in a bar in the Russian city of Volgograd was called as “disgraceful” by district judge Charlotte Holland at Leeds Magistrates' Court.
Volgograd, which was the venue for England’s 2-1 win over Tunisia, was formerly known as Stalingrad – the site of one of the bloodiest battles in history when Soviet soldiers repelled Hitler’s army during the Second World War.
Both Batty 58, of Doncaster, and 52-year-old Burns, from Billingham in Cleveland accepted the banning notice, which was served under the 1989 Football Spectators Act.
The pair looked emotionless as Judge Holland were told that they would not be able to be within a two-mile radius of any England football matches until 2021.
The court heard how the pair both had tickets for upcoming matches at the 2018 World Cup, but district judge x said their non-attendance of these fixtures was an “unfortunate consequence of their actions”.
“I have seen the activity that you were involved in and seen the still images from what you did," Judge Holland said. “You know that at this time people are getting behind the national team, including children, and your actions are ruining that.”
Malcolm Christy, prosecuting, told the court how the pair had been involved in “inappropriate singing” and that a three-year ban would be the most suitable punishment.
In a statement released by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) on Saturday, it was confirmed that the two men were to be served banning orders in relation to the incident.
A third man, 57-year-old Michael Herbert, was handed a five-year banning order at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, the NPCC said.
Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts, of the NPCC, said: “The behaviour of the fans out in Russia has been, in the main, excellent, and they are making friends wherever they are going. While there have been a couple of isolated incidents, which have been dealt with swiftly by police in both Russia and the UK, the vast majority of the fans out in Russia are simply enjoying the football and being good guests of the country.
“We are expecting more supporters to start to make their way across to Russia for the final group game in Kaliningrad, with many choosing to travel across the border from Gdansk, Poland. This crossing could take some time to make, as it will not be straightforward – fans need to ensure they have the necessary fan ID or visa with their match ticket and prior plans in place for travel and accommodation."
An FA spokesman said of the antisemitic footage: “We strongly condemn the actions of the people in this video. The disgraceful conduct of the individuals in this video does not represent the values of the majority of English football fans supporting the team in Russia.”
Another man, Paul Johnson, 25, of Banbury, Oxfordshire, was given a three-year football banning order at Oxford Magistrates’ Court over the weekend following a separate incident on a train near Moscow on 16 June, the NPCC said.
Additional reporting by PA