Club officials at Brighton and Hove Albion have expressed dismay at the arrests at The Amex on New Year's Day of two home fans on suspicion of racial and homophobic abuse. It's in addition to a Chelsea fan being detained on suspicion of racial abuse. The arrests took place during what Brighton boss Graham Potter has called an "incredible performance", as he watched his side draw 1-1 with Chelsea. It brought the Seagulls a valuable point against one of the top four sides in the Premier League. Chief executive and deputy chairman Paul Barber said: "Yet again our safety and stewarding team, along with Sussex Police, have had to deal with three separate and unwanted instances of disgusting racist and homophobic abuse. "If the prospect of a life ban from watching their clubs play football isn’t a strong enough deterrent, we have to ask the question as to whether the courts should be given the power to hand out more severe punishments? "Football can only do so much, and we are sick and tired of the game’s reputation being tarnished by these people. Mr. Barber added: "I find it impossible to comprehend how and why some individuals think it's acceptable to behave in this way, and yet again I will make it very clear that neither Brighton & Hove Albion nor the wider football community, will tolerate racism, homophobia, or any other form of discrimination at any time. "We would urge any fans confronted with similar discriminatory behaviour at our stadium to report it immediately, either directly to a steward or via our anonymous hotline, and we will continue to take the strongest possible action against such bigoted individuals. " These people are not welcome at the Amex or at any football matches." Brighton are set to return to cup action at The Amex this Saturday (4th January), in a Third Round match against Sheffield Wednesday, with a 3pm kick-off. More Radio is continuously dedicated to providing a quality news service on-air and online, reporting local stories that matter across Sussex. If you enjoyed reading this story, then check out our home page at moreradio.online where you can find the latest from the county, along with features and competitions from our presenters, as well as listening to the station live. You can also sign up to our news alerts to receive updates on new stories. Simply click on the bell at the bottom right of the home page. This will then allow a pop-up which will ask if you would like to receive alerts. Press ‘allow’ and you’re all signed up!
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