It should have been a night for Crystal Palace supporters to savour. About 1,500 officially made the trip to Strasbourg for their second away match of the Conference League group stage last week, although plenty more had gathered in the pretty Alsatian city famous for its expansive Christmas market.

Yet while most were enjoying being part of Palace’s first European campaign after May’s FA Cup win, “a tiny majority” – as the club’s statement the following day described them – had different ideas. Footage of bottles and chairs being thrown as two rival groups of supporters of the same club clashed before the game in one of the city’s squares went viral on X. “Palace fans fighting each other in Strasbourg,” read the message, not surprisingly sparking widespread confusion.

The Guardian understands it was the culmination of a long-running feud between the Holmesdale Fanatics (HF) – an ultras group known for their vocal support and homemade tifos – and a collection of Palace fans said to have become increasingly antagonistic towards them. They are believed to be the group heard singing pro-Tommy Robinson songs and spotted with “Stop the boats” flags during Palace’s trips to Lublin to play Dynamo Kyiv in October and Fredrikstad for a playoff a month earlier. The group are thought to be more loosely organised than the HF and come from several different areas, including the Croydon suburb of New Addington, Crawley and Kent.

Some of the HF have claimed they have been subjected to a sustained campaign of racial abuse from the rival group over several years and the trouble is said to have begun when one of them was attacked without warning in Strasbourg. “Racism will not be tolerated at Palace,” the HF told the Guardian in a message also posted on their social media channels.

There was another flashpoint at the stadium when another HF member was allegedly assaulted in the toilets, with a supporter on a Palace message board detailing what he witnessed. They wrote: “Came down for a drink 10 mins before half-time and saw a young HF member being chased out of the toilet … The HF come down after half-time and it goes off. I’d seen the video of before the game and thought it was just a feud. However, on trying to break it up I was told clearly by a young HF member: ‘How would you feel if you watch Palace and get called a P*ki?’ … Doesn’t paint the club in good light and I’m not sure that’s the end of this saga.”

A Palace statement the next day made no reference to racism, although it is understood the club are aware of the allegations but they were not witnessed by members of staff in Strasbourg. Palace doubt the authenticity of an X account that posted several offensive messages the next day, including numerous racist slurs directed towards the HF and references to the fight in the toilets. The account, which also posted messages with a knife emoji that warned “a few blokes gonna get a good hiding” when Palace play against Shelbourne in Dublin next Thursday in their next Conference League game, was deleted within 24 hours. Sources in the HF have insisted the account was genuine and they were made aware of its existence by the rival group.

The Guardian has been told by multiple sources not connected to the HF that they have heard racist chants at Palace games this season, including one that makes a derogatory reference to the striker Jean-Philippe Mateta. One season-ticket holder who attends matches with his two teenage sons asked to be moved after hearing what he described as a “constant barrage of racist insults” directed mainly towards Palace players, including Tyrick Mitchell and Daichi Kamada, the Japan midfielder, during a game at Selhurst Park.

Palace, based in one of the most ethnically diverse parts of the country, have a long history of opposing racism and make clear in their supporters’ charter that their recommended sanction for racism is a 10-year ban for a first offence and an indefinite suspension in the event of a repeat. It is understood Palace are compiling evidence from Strasbourg, where there were three arrests for a separate incident, and will liaise closely with Irish police before the trip to Dublin.

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Palace have promised to punish any supporters involved in the violence in Strasbourg. A fan has been banned for misconduct during last Sunday’s defeat by Manchester United, and other supporters are expected to face action once video footage has been reviewed.

A Palace spokesperson said of the Strasbourg incident: “Whilst the vast majority of fans enjoyed the day and the game peacefully, we are aware of some small disturbances involving supporters of the club before the match in Strasbourg. This is regrettable and unacceptable.

“We will review the footage that’s available and, where possible, identify those involved and take appropriate action. We would like to thank the town of Strasbourg and the club for their welcome and apologise for the actions of the tiny minority, who do not reflect the vast majority who came to support the club and were dismayed by their behaviour.”