England football fans have been told “don’t be dicks” as a German police chief asked them to refrain from singing the “Ten German Bombers” chant during this summer’s European Championship.
The appeal comes after Three Lions fans were heard singing the song, which mocks German casualties during World War Two, at England’s friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina at St James’ Park on Monday.
German police chief Peter Both has responded by urging England fans to refrain from its use during the Euros, which get under way in Germany on 14 June.
Speaking on the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Mr Both pointed to how he would have no power to take action against fans simply for singing the chant.
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The chant is partially a corruption of the nursery rhyme Ten Green Bottles but sung to the tune of traditional folk song She’ll Be Coming Round The Mountain.
It replaces the lyrics “bottles hanging on the wall” from the former with “German bombers in the air” – before the line: “…but the RAF from England shot them down”.
England will be kicking off their Euros campaign against Serbia a week on Sunday in Gelsenkirchen, the city in western Germany.
Footage emerged of England fans singing the song during Monday’s match, prompting some people on X to describe their behaviour as “embarrassing”, while others called for politics and football to be kept separate.
One commented saying: “This is one of the worst, most embarrassing football songs there is. It’s just completely irrelevant and embarrassing. EVERYONE would be better off without it.”
Some fans, however, encouraged Three Lions supporters to sing it in Germany. One even said they would sing it in Germany as it was their “favourite chant”.
Mr Both referenced a recent campaign launched by the Football Supporters’ Association that urged England fans: “Please don’t be a d***.
“That’s what I would say to them: Don’t be a d***, Mr Both told the Telegraph.
“If they sing a song like this, I can’t change it. It’s not punishable in Germany.
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“I hope that all the other peaceful and law-abiding fans say to them: ‘Stop it.'”
He added: “I know, and all people in Germany know, there is a long-lasting sporting rivalry between England and Germany. But it’s important for me to say it’s only a sporting one.
“Our countries have been, and remain, allies for over seven decades.”
Nazi salute outlawed
However, he pointed to the fact that performing a Nazi salute is a criminal offence in Germany and that anyone caught performing one would be arrested.
“If we talk about showing the Hitler salute, it’s absolutely unbearable and intolerable,” he said.
“We have to tell them it’s punishable and criminal in Germany.”
England Supporters Travel Club members caught singing Ten German Bombers have previously been warned they face being banned from future matches, after it was sung during the team’s friendly in Germany in 2017.
