Trio sought over Metro racist abuse

POLICE in Britain have released images of three people they want to speak to in connection with the incident of racism on Paris Metro on Tuesday.

Scotland yard said the men were caught on CCTV cameras before the club's 1-1 draw with Paris St-Germain in the Champions League tie in the French capital. Detectives believe the men were part of a group filmed repeatedly 33-year-old father of three off a train at Richelieu-Drouot station pushing a while chanting a racist song.

It has also emerged today that British Transport Police are investigating claims that a number of men - believed to be Chelsea supporters - chanted racist slogans at London’s St Pancras’ station after a Eurostar train from Paris arrived there on Wednesday.

Specialist police in Paris have launched an investigation into crimes of racial violence on public transport. If identified and convicted, the suspects could face a three-year prison sentence and €45,000 fine.

Chelsea Football Club has suspended five people from its home ground of Stamford Bridge following the incident, and warned that it is considering further sanctions. In a statement on its website, the club said: “Chelsea Football Club has suspended a further two people from Stamford Bridge as a result of ongoing investigations into the incident on the Paris Metro on Tuesday evening

"This makes a total of five to date. If it is deemed there is sufficient evidence of their involvement in the incident, the club will issue banning orders for life."

The club added that it had received "substantial information" following an appeal for witnesses.

It has also invited the victim and his family to London to attend the second leg of the European Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain on 11 March.

In a news conference yesterday, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho added his voice to the condemnation: "I'd like to make clear, on behalf of everyone at the club, our disgust at the incident. We were appalled by what we saw."

Meanwhile, one man caught in the crowd on the damning film was yesterday suspended by his employers pending an investigation. It is not clear on the film if he was directly involved in the incident.

The victim has spoken out about his ordeal, but has asked to only be identified only as Souleymane. He told The Guardian newspaper, which initially published the film on its website, that Tuesday’s incident had left him afraid to use public transport, and also told Le Parisien that the men who assaulted him, “must be found, punished and locked up. What happened should not go unpunished.”

Le Parisien also reported that President Francois Hollande has telephoned to the victim and “thanked him for the dignity he has shown in his public remarks over the incident”.

Image: Scotland Yard