Fans of Lazio Rome cause a scandal at the Roman derby with their “Hitlerson” jersey
Lazio Roma fans wave flags in the stands (stock image)
Those: dpa/John the Evangelist
Lazio Roma supporters are notorious for their behavior. In the city derby against AS Roma, they once again attracted attention with racist and anti-Semitic gestures and songs. The criticism in Italy great. But the problem has existed for years.
Nfter the Roman city derby, there was outrage in Italy about the behavior and demeanor of the fans of Lazio Rome, who attracted negative attention with racist and anti-Semitic comments. Some supporters of Serie A, second in the table, sang slanderous and sometimes anti-Jewish chants in the stands during the 1-0 win against AS Roma, as various media reported.
Ruth Dureghello, leader of Rome’s Jewish community, condemned this on Twitter. She posted a photo of a fan leaving the stadium with the name “Hitlerson” and the number 88 flocked onto their jersey. The 88 is a cipher in neo-Nazi circles and symbolizes the letters HH. “Is it possible for everyone to pretend nothing happened?” Dureghello asked.
On Tuesday, Lazio announced that the club condemned and distanced itself from “any discriminatory, racist or anti-Semitic demonstration or action”. Only a small proportion of fans are affected. As the club wrote, a few “spread a dangerous germ” in the stadium and others repeated their behavior without understanding the meaning and scope. Lazio have already taken steps to identify those responsible, ban them from entering the stadium in the future and take legal action.
Sports Minister Andrea Abodi called the incidents “unacceptable”. He hopes to find the perpetrators using surveillance cameras and called for better technology in the stadiums to track the perpetrators. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi invited his colleague Abodi, top football officials and representatives of Jewish communities to speak on the issue of racism and anti-Semitism on March 30.
In Italy, football supporters often cause racist scandals. Defamation and racist abuse are common in the stadiums, mostly against black players. Lazio fans in particular are often involved in such incidents.
