Chelsea fans accused of racism row ‘scapegoats’

Four Chelsea fans accused of being involved in a race row in which a black man was shoved off a train while racist chants were sung are being treated as “scapegoats” by police, a court has heard.

Video shows the man, named only as Mr Souleymane in court, pushed off the Metro train as Chelsea supporters sang “we’re racist, we’re racist and that’s the way we like it”.

Footage of the altercation, which came to light after the London club played Paris St Germain in February, sparked outrage and British police issued pictures of those suspected of being involved.