Football fans charged over 'Yid' chants at Spurs matches

Police have repeatedly warned Tottenham fans not to use the word “Yid” in recent months. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

Three football fans have been charged after allegedly using the word "Yid" at Spurs matches.

Gary Whybrow, 31, Sam Parsons, 24, and Peter Ditchman, 52, are due to appear before magistrates on 4 February charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting words.

Whybrow, from west London, and Parsons, from Amersham, Buckinghamshire, are accused of committing the offence at White Hart Lane during Tottenham Hotspur v FC Sheriff on 7 November 2013, while Ditchman, from Bishop's Stortford, allegedly used the language at Spurs v West Ham on 6 October 2013.

All three are accused of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress.

It is alleged that the offences were racially aggravated. Ditchman is also accused of possessing cocaine at the October match.

Police have repeatedly warned fans not to use the word "Yid" in recent months, and have also made arrests over various antisemitic tweets aimed at Spurs fans.

In October Scotland Yard said it believed using the word would constitute a criminal offence. The force said: "Some words – like the 'Y' word - which historically have been perceived by some as acceptable, cause harassment, alarm or distress to others, and people who use this language could be committing a criminal offence."

The Football Association and the sport's anti-racism campaign Kick It Out have previously stated they do not believe the term should be used in any context at a football ground, but the issue has sparked debate.

Many Spurs supporters use the term to describe themselves and object to being told not to use it. The club has a strong Jewish following and fans have been on the receiving end of antisemitic abuse from opposition supporters for many years.

In an act of defiance, some started using the word "Yid" themselves, and chants of "Yids", "Yid army" and "Yiddos" are regularly sung at matches.

The prime minister got involved last year when he appeared to side with Spurs supporters in an interview with the Jewish Chronicle in September. David Cameron said there was "a difference between Spurs fans self-describing themselves as 'Yids' and someone calling someone a 'Yid' as an insult", adding: "You have to be motivated by hate. Hate speech should be prosecuted – but only when it's motivated by hate."