Chelsea fan filmed in Paris race row storm 'won't return to work', says his employer

A CHELSEA fan at the centre of the Paris Metro race storm will not return to work until a "full and thorough investigation" is carried out, his bosses have said.

The Guardian

Josh Parsons appeared in a video posted online

Finance worker Josh Parsons, 21, was identified online as one of the group of English football fans present when a black man was shoved off the train in the French capital on Tuesday night.

Supporters could be heard chanting "We're racist and that's the way we like it" following their treatment of the black man before the Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain.

The shocking incident was captured on camera by a British expatriate in the French capital.

Mr Parsons, understood to be a former pupil at the £30,000-a-year Millfield public school, is an assistant at the Business and Commercial Finance Club in Mayfair, west London.

Footage of Chelsea fans preventing black man boarding Metro train

We are utterly opposed to racism in all of its forms and would never tolerate racist conduct among any employee

Employer spokesman

He was not in work yesterday.

A spokesman for the company said: "We are utterly opposed to racism in all of its forms and would never tolerate racist conduct among any employee.

"We are investigating the events in Paris and Mr Parsons will not return to work until we have conducted a full and thorough investigation."

There is no suggestion at present that Mr Parsons was involved in the pushing or the chanting, but he could be a vital witness for inquiries being conducted both by the French authorities and Scotland Yard.

This comes after the young man's family stood by him, saying that the incident had "come out of the blue".

His aunt Louise told the Evening Standard: "He is a lovely boy and has never been in any trouble. He is a lifelong Chelsea fan and that has never been a problem.

"I have seen the footage but have not yet spoken to him. We do not know what to make of it but it is a shock to the family. He is a lovely gentle boy who would not hurt anyone."

Premier League leaders Chelsea last night suspended three fans from attending home matches at their Stamford Bridge stadium.

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