US players were in the upswing a lot this weekend with a reported Clint Dempsey transfer to Fulham and Carlos Bocanegra’s late equalizer for Fulham against Chelsea. In a reality check, Magpies midfielder Emre allegedly targeted Toffees goalkeeper Tim Howard and defender Jollean Lescott for racist abuse after an on field altercation following a penalty award to the Magpies. The FA is investigating. This might be the first incident of its kind in the Premiership this season.
Elsewhere there have been several signs that racist chants and taunts seem to be on the upswing especially in Germany and other parts of Europe. The recent violence involving anti- Semitic PSG fans left one of them dead. In Germany, racist chants follow Asamoah Gyan of Schakle and Ellery Cairo of Hertha Berlin. The lower professional leagues are rife with anti-Semitism and fan violence leading to frequent clashes with the police. Referees are being targeted for physical assaults by fans in the second and third tiers of the Bundesliga.
More commonly Premiership players have seen unsavoury incidents involving racial abuse directed towards them in other countries this season. South African and Blackburn player Benni McCarthy was taunted by Wisla Krakow defender Nikola Mijailovic, with UEFA banning him for five matches. German U-21 striker Aaron Hunt was accused of racist abuse against England U-21 internationals, Manchester City’s Micah Richards and West Ham’s Anton Ferdinand. Hunt was subsequently cleared.