ROME, March 21 (dpa/EP) –
Lazio on Tuesday condemned the anti-Semitic incidents of some of its fans during the Serie A derby against Roma and assured it will take steps to identify and punish the perpetrators.
According to a statement, the club’s security organization is in the process of “strictly applying the code of ethics, identifying those responsible, preventing their access to the stadium and taking legal action to obtain compensation for the damage caused”. and it is expected that the first results will be announced during the day.
According to the Italian press, some Lazio fans present in the stands uttered defamatory and anti-Semitic chants during Sunday’s match.
The president of the Jewish community in Rome, Ruth Dureghello, tweeted Monday a photo of a fan with the name Hitlerson and the number 88 on his Lazio shirt, referring to the initials HH, the eighth letter of the alphabet, used as code for the phrase ‘Heil Hitler’ in neo-Nazi groups. “Could it be that everyone keeps acting like nothing is happening?” asked Dureghello.
Italian football has been plagued by anti-Semitic, racist and discriminatory fan behavior, with Lazio supporters often on the front line.
Lazio stated that the club “has always been at the forefront, especially with the current presidency, in publicly condemning, preventing and unconditionally repressing any discriminatory, racist or anti-Semitic manifestation or action.” “Lazio dissociates itself from any kind of behavior, illegal and anachronistic, and is above all an injured party to such behavior,” he said.
The Roman club spoke of “a dangerous germ, caused by very few”. “Many replicate those behaviors that they don’t even know the meaning and scope of,” he said.
Sports Minister Andrea Abodi called the incidents “unacceptable”, expressed the hope that violators could be identified using video surveillance cameras and called for better technology in stadiums.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi announced a March 30 meeting to discuss racism and anti-Semitism with Abodi, football officials and representatives of the Jewish community.
Source: Noti Merica
