Lazio promises action after fans' Anne Franck 'insult'
- 7 years ago
Anti-semitic graffiti: the backdrop for pictures of Anne Frank, which have been doctored to show her wearing a Roma football jersey. Anne Frank was a Dutch Jewish child who died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945.
This is how some SS Lazio fans chose to express their dedication to their club – and their antagonism to the Italian capital’s rival team – during a recent league game against Cagliari.
After seeing this, OfficialSSLazio should play an entire season without admitting SS () #LAZIOroma ‘supporters’ in the stadiums. pic.twitter.com/86DQAjciKB— (((Nathan Hacham))) (NathanHacham) October 24, 2017
Official condemnation
The club’s President, Claudio Lotito, was quick to condemn their actions, paying a visit to Rome’s main synagogue, where he laid a wreath in memory of victims of the Holocaust to underscore his point. “To the Jewish brothers, from LAZIO IN OUR HEARTS, Claudio, Lazio fan”.
He promised more than just words, too.
“SS Lazio will take part in a new initiative for 200 young fans,” he said, “to educate them and make sure we don’t forget certain episodes, the club will organise an annual trip to Auschwitz”.
A passage will be read out from Anne Frank’s diary before Lazio games.
Anne Frank’s diary to be read before Italian soccer games to combat anti-Semitism https://t.co/TQpigvzYFQ pic.twitter.com/MInORbDJJf— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 25, 2017
Political involvement
The scandal even reached the European Parliament, where President, Antonio Tajani, said:
“To use the image of Anne Frank as an insult towards others is a terrible thing. Everyone in our Union has the right to practice their own religion. Jewish communities are part of our European Union.”
Flirtations with fascism
In a country where “il calcio” is a passion rather than a hobby, Italy’s most fanatical football supporters, the “ultras”, have long-standing links to fascism.
As if to underscore the point, outside Rome’s stadio olimpico, home to both Lazio and Roma, stands an obelisk which still bears the inscription “Mussolini, leader”.
This is how some SS Lazio fans chose to express their dedication to their club – and their antagonism to the Italian capital’s rival team – during a recent league game against Cagliari.
After seeing this, OfficialSSLazio should play an entire season without admitting SS () #LAZIOroma ‘supporters’ in the stadiums. pic.twitter.com/86DQAjciKB— (((Nathan Hacham))) (NathanHacham) October 24, 2017
Official condemnation
The club’s President, Claudio Lotito, was quick to condemn their actions, paying a visit to Rome’s main synagogue, where he laid a wreath in memory of victims of the Holocaust to underscore his point. “To the Jewish brothers, from LAZIO IN OUR HEARTS, Claudio, Lazio fan”.
He promised more than just words, too.
“SS Lazio will take part in a new initiative for 200 young fans,” he said, “to educate them and make sure we don’t forget certain episodes, the club will organise an annual trip to Auschwitz”.
A passage will be read out from Anne Frank’s diary before Lazio games.
Anne Frank’s diary to be read before Italian soccer games to combat anti-Semitism https://t.co/TQpigvzYFQ pic.twitter.com/MInORbDJJf— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 25, 2017
Political involvement
The scandal even reached the European Parliament, where President, Antonio Tajani, said:
“To use the image of Anne Frank as an insult towards others is a terrible thing. Everyone in our Union has the right to practice their own religion. Jewish communities are part of our European Union.”
Flirtations with fascism
In a country where “il calcio” is a passion rather than a hobby, Italy’s most fanatical football supporters, the “ultras”, have long-standing links to fascism.
As if to underscore the point, outside Rome’s stadio olimpico, home to both Lazio and Roma, stands an obelisk which still bears the inscription “Mussolini, leader”.