Nigel Farage says Germans need to 'get a sense of humour' if football fans sing Ten German Bombers chant

13 June 2024, 09:17

Nigel Farage has said German authorities need to "get a sense of humour" amid calls for fans to be punished for chanting Ten German bombers at the Euro football championships.

German police chief Peter Both told English fans "don't be dicks" after fans were heard singing the song, which mocks German casualties during World War Two at last week's friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina at St James' Park.

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.

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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".

Mr Both said: "If they sing a song like this, I can't change it. It's not punishable in Germany.

"I hope that all the other peaceful and law-abiding fans say to them: 'Stop it.'"

Reacting to the comments on LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, Mr Farage said: "It's very important that young men are not men, they shouldn't drink beer, they shouldn't have fun, they shouldn't chant, no no, we are to live in a modern puritan world.

"Is it any wonder that so many young Gen Z-ers are now supporting me on TikTok and elsewhere because they're being told not to be young lads. I know this is difficult for the Germans but please, get a sense of humour."

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.

England and Scotland have both qualified for the football tournament in Germany which kicks off tomorrow.

England's first match is against Serbia on Sunday while Scotland will play against Germany in the opening game tomorrow evening.