Tottenham rule out anti-Semitism as motive after £1bn stadium is vandalised
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been attacked by vandals, causing damage which is understood to run into a sum of at least six figures.
The incident took place on Monday night, resulting in one arrest, but Tottenham have stressed there is “no indication that this incident is linked to anti-Semitisim” following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East.
Israel came under attack from Hamas terrorists last Saturday, prompting Israel to launch air-raids on Gaza. The Metropolitan Police has reported a huge rise in anti-Semitic attacks in London over the past week and there has also been deep controversy over how English football should respond to the ongoing horror.
Tottenham’s fanbase has strong associations with the Jewish community and will be part of a unified Premier League-wide response next weekend when players, managers and match officials will wear black armbands and observe a period of silence.
Monday’s criminal damage comes ahead of Tottenham staging an NFL game on Sunday between the Baltimore Ravens and the Tennessee Titans.
“We can confirm that an individual was arrested for criminal damage following an incident that took place on Monday night,” said a club statement. “There is no indication that this incident is linked to anti-Semitism.”
Tottenham’s next home Premier League game will be the Monday night fixture against Fulham on October 23.
Ahead of that match, David Bernstein, the former FA chair, has renewed calls for the police and football authorities to take stronger action over the use of the Y-word among football supporters.
The Crown Prosecution Service warned last year fans could face criminal action over chanting that was considered anti-Semitic.
Tottenham published the results of a review into the issue a month later in which they said it was “time to move on from associating this term with our club”.
Spurs spent in excess of £1 billion on their new stadium, which opened at the end of the 2019-20 season.
