Chelsea fan apologises over alleged racist incident on Paris metroRichard Barklie, a former RUC officer, admits involvement in incident that resulted in a black man being unable to board a train, but insists he is not a racist
Chelsea fans prevent salesman Souleymane from boarding a packed Métro train in Paris
A former policeman who is one of three men sought in connection with an alleged racist incident involving Chelsea football fans on a Paris Metro train has apologised for his involvement.
But Richard Barklie, 50, insisted he is not a racist.
The ex-Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer, from Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, is a director with a human rights organisation – the World Human Rights Forum – and has also worked supporting victims of the Troubles.
The Chelsea season ticket holder is one of the three men whose images were released by Scotland Yard as part of an investigation into a group of supporters who allegedly pushed a black man off the train and chanted a racist song in the French capital on Tuesday.
The incident happened before Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain, which ended 1-1.
Footage posted online showed the commuter - named in reports as Souleymane S - being pushed back on to the platform amid chants of “we’re racist, we’re racist and that’s the way we like it”.
On Sunday night Barklie issued a statement through his lawyer in which he admitted involvement in an “incident” that resulted in Souleymane S being “unable to enter part of the train”.
He said he had an account he wanted to provide to police that would explain the “context and circumstances”.
Barklie denied singing any racist songs; said he travelled to the game alone; insisted he did not know any of the other individuals captured on video footage of the incident; and said he has never been part of any “group or faction” of Chelsea fans.
The statement was issued by Belfast solicitor Kevin Winters.
“We act on behalf of Mr Barklie identified as one of the people sought by authorities investigating an incident on the Paris Metro on 16/2/15 ,” it said.
“We contacted London Metropolitan police today to advise that our client is happy to assist with inquiries.
“Pending formal engagement with police, our client is anxious to put on record his total abhorrence for racism and any activity associated with it.
“As someone who has spent years working with disadvantaged communities in Africa and India he can point to a CV in human rights work which undermines any suggestion he is racist.
“Today a senior official in the World Human Rights Forum confirmed their support for him.
“Mr Barklie is a Chelsea season ticket holder and has travelled to matches for over 20 years now without incident.
“He travelled alone to the Paris St Germain match and has no knowledge whatsoever of the identities of the other people depicted in recent YouTube video releases. He wants to stress that he was not and never has been part of any group or faction of Chelsea supporters.
“He did not participate in racist chanting and singing and condemns any behaviour supporting that. He accepts he was involved in an incident when a person now known to him as Souleymane S was unable to enter a part of the train.
“He has an account to give to police which will explain the context and circumstances as they prevailed at that particular time.
“In the meantime pending that, he wants to put on record his sincerest apologies for the trauma and stress suffered by Mr Souleymane.
“He readily acknowledges that any judgment on the integrity of his apology will be kept in abeyance pending the outworkings of the investigation.
“Given the extremely sensitive nature of the issues engaged we urge upon all media outlets to exercise as much restraint as possible when commenting on the case.
“We accept on behalf of our client that public interest demands nothing but total indignation and condemnation from all media reporting but such reporting ought not to persist at the expense of undermining Mr Barklie’s right to a fair trial.
“Tonight London Met confirmed with us that arrangements were in hand to take the investigation to the next stage.”
Earlier on Sunday, a counselling centre for victims of the Northern Ireland Troubles confirmed it had suspended a part-time staff member in connection with the racist incident involving Chelsea fans in Paris.
The Wave Trauma centre based in Belfast said it had suspended the worker following allegations in the Irish media about a former police officer being one of three Chelsea supporters allegedly involved in the abuse of a black man in the Métro.
The centre, which helps victims of violence from all sides of the community, said it would not be making any further comment.
The Guardian spoke to a number of RUC veterans on Sunday who confirmed Barklie as one of the men on the Métro train.
