'F*** Off Yids Badges Sold Outside Arsenal's Emirates Stadium

A prominent Jewish newspaper has alleged that racist badges have been sold outside Arsenal Football Club's Emirates Stadium - and local police turned a blind eye.

The Jewish Chronicle asserts that a stall on Elfort Road, just yards from the ground, was selling 'F*** off Yids' badges before Arsenal's recent match against Southampton.

The term 'Yids' is slang for Jews, and is used pejoratively by Arsenal fans in reference to the strong Jewish following of local rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

The Chronicle also alleges that, when a complainant brought the badges to the attention of police, the officers were "not interested" in taking action against the vendors.

The complainant told the newspaper that officers suggested he ring 101, the number for non-emergency police complaints. He added:

"I told them they had the power to arrest people selling the badges and close down the stall as it was [potentially] a racially aggravated public order offence - but [the] officer wasn't interested and wouldn't accept that it was offensive.

"Even though I said that the Yids bit was clearly racist, one officer said that the CPS would have no interest in the report.

"I thought Islington Council would have done something... they license these stalls, and if they know about it they should revoke their licences."

Scandals

Allegations of racism outside Arsenal's ground come as former England captain John Terry appears before the Football Association charged with racially abusing Queens Park Rangers player Anton Ferdinand.

Ferdinand's brother Rio, another former England captain, has also faced FA sanction for calling Ashley Cole a "choc ice" in relation to the Terry trial, while Liverpool's Luis Suarez received an eight-match ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra last season.