Incidents reported to FARE during February 2013
The following list of incidents of racism, xenophobia, extreme nationalism or homophobia have been reported to FARE during the last month. This is not a comprehensive list and only reflects a small amount of the incidents that may have occurred.
3 February 2013 – Italy: AC Milan
Speaking at an event held by the Italian centre-right Freedom People party (PDL), AC Milan Vice-president Paolo Berlusconi made a pejorative remark about Mario Balotelli - "And now let's go and watch the ‘little black boy’ (negretto) of the family, the hot head".
10 February 2013 – Italy: Inter Milan v Chievo Verona
A section of Inter Milan supporters were heard abusing the AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli during the club’s victory over Chievo. Inter Milan were fined 15,000 euros (£12,000) by the Italian Lega Serie A.
12 February 2013 – UK: Brighton and Hove Albion v Blackburn FC
Blackburn FC striker player Colin Kazim-Richards was alleged to have made homophobic remarks to Brighton fans on different occasions.
The English FA confirmed that complaints were received about the incident.
14 February 2013 – UEFA Europa League - Ukraine: Dynamo Kyiv v Bordeaux
Dynamo Kiev supporters displayed multiple neo-Nazi banners and performed Nazi salutes in the 88th minute of the game. The eight letter of the alphabet is the H and, in this context, the number 88 refers to the two HH’s for “Heil Hitler”. The connotation of the number 88 stresses the nationalist/xenophobic intentions of the action.
A banner from the Dynamo fans in support of Bulgarian neo-nazis accused of bombing a Roma political party headquarters in Bulgaria was also displayed during the match.
20 February 2013 – France: Lyon
On the night before the UEFA Europa League match between Lyon and Tottenham Hotspurs fans were attacked in a bar of the French city. The incident was an anti-Semitic attack, eyewitnesses testified that Nazi salutes were performed.
21 February 2013 - UEFA Europa League - Italy: Lazio v Borussia Monchengladbach
A faction of the Lazio supporters displayed a neo-Nazi banner, wore scarves with neo-Nazi symbols and performed Nazi salutes.
UEFA’s disciplinary body ordered Lazio to play their next two UEFA competition matches as a host club behind closed doors. This applies to: Lazio v VfB Stuttgart on 14 March. The remaining game behind closed doors applies to the next UEFA competition match for which the club would qualify. The Italian club have also been fined €40,000 (£ 35,530).
23 February 2013 – Poland: Korona Kielce v Legia Warszawa
During the Ekstraklasa (Polish top division) match between Korona Kielce and Legia Warsaw local neo-Nazi fans of Kielce chanted: “Korona - white power”.
24 February 2013 – Italy: Inter Milan v AC Milan
AC Milan Mario Balotelli was racially taunted by Inter Milan fans during the derby match with Internazionale. The Nerazzurri fans waved inflated bananas and whistled at Balotelli throughout the match. The AC Milan striker was seen holding a finger to his mouth in a gesture aimed to silence the fans taunts.
Inter were fined €50,000 (£43,000) by Lega Serie A.
24 February 2013 – Croatia: HNK Hajduk v GNK Dinamo Zagreb
During the match between HNK Hajduk and GNK Dinamo during the Croatian main league the supporters of the home team were heard shouting “Crush, crush the purgers (residents of Zagreb)” and in response the Bad Blue Boys (supporters of Zagreb’s team) shouted “"Mamić, you gypsy” and “You are Tito's (supporters), Tito is yours”.
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