Lazio, condemned for anti-Semitic chants from its ultras

The Jewish community of Rome denounced this Monday, with supporting photos and videos, the alleged anti-Semitic chants of followers of lazio when the derby won against the Rome (1-0) on Sunday.

Ruth Dureghellopresident of the Jewish community in Rome, said: “In the stadium there was a whole corner singing anti-Semitic songs, a supporter with a Hitlerson t-shirt and the number 88 (used in the neo-Nazi movement which means ‘Heil Hitler’ and we, as before, will be the only ones who will be angry and protest”.

“Is it possible for everything to continue as if nothing happened?” he added. dureghellothat the message includes pictures and videos.

These photos have been “verified”, a spokesman for the Jewish community in Rome told AFP.

The complaints come just 12 days after the Italian federation announced the opening of an investigation into alleged anti-Semitic slogans chanted by fans of lazio in the match against Napoli (0-1 for the Romans) on March 3.

In January, the northern corner of the Olimpico in Rome, which brings together the ultras of the ‘laziale’ club, was closed for a game after racist chants by these radicals during a match against Leccedirected at Samuel Umtiti and Lameck Banda.

In recent years, the ultras of lazio they are routinely singled out for their racist or anti-Semitic behavior. In 2017, they notably distinguished themselves by hijacking an image of Anna Frankthe German Jewish teenager who died in the Bergen Belsen concentration camp in Germany, displayed in a Roma shirt.

The Italian Minister of Sports, andrea abodi, retweeted the angry message from the president of the Jewish community in Rome and responded calmly: “It is impossible to act as if nothing happened. I will do my part, because I feel a duty to do so. Respect is a duty and non-negotiable.”