Union Berlin apologizes over anti-Semitic incidents at match in opposition to Maccabi Haifa
A bunch of German Maccabi Haifa followers had been subjected to anti-Semitic insults in the course of the match at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, in accordance with a press release from Union Berlin revealed Friday.
“This behaviour is shameful and we cannot tolerate it. We apologise to these affected. Anti-Semitism is sadly nonetheless current in our society, which is why it additionally reveals itself within the stadium,” mentioned membership president Dirk Zingler within the assertion.
“Nevertheless, we’ll by no means tolerate discrimination in our ranks. You will need to stay vigilant and to work tirelessly in opposition to it.”
Zingler mentioned the membership would help police investigations into the incident.
Beer was thrown on the group of Maccabi Haifa followers, who had been additionally subjected to anti-Semitic insults and threats of violence, in accordance with a press launch from the German-Israeli Society Youth Discussion board.
One Union Berlin supporter allegedly tried to burn an Israeli flag, it continued.
Different Union Berlin supporters stepped in and swapped seats with the Maccabi Haifa followers.
The youth discussion board thanked these followers for his or her solidarity and mentioned they had been glad with the membership’s fast response.
Anti-discrimination community FARE additionally revealed a photograph purporting to indicate a Union Berlin supporter making a Nazi salute on the sport on its Twitter account.
“This artificial nazi salutes in direction of the Maccabi followers and abused those that known as him out,” reads the tweet.
Maccabi Haifa didn’t touch upon the incidents, as an alternative thanking their opponents for his or her hospitality in a tweet.
Muricas Information has contacted Maccabi Haifa, UEFA and Berlin Police for remark.
The match, which the German aspect gained 3-0, was a symbolic affair, marking the primary time that an Israeli workforce had competed within the Olympic stadium, which was constructed for the 1936 Olympic Video games in the course of the Nazi period.
Union Berlin usually play their residence matches on the Stadion an der Alten Försterei.
Nevertheless the bottom does not meet the necessities for UEFA’s European competitors matches, so the sport was performed on the Olympic Stadium.
The variety of anti-Semitic incidents in Germany has been rising steadily lately, Deutsche Welle reported in February.
There have been at the least 2,275 anti-Semitic crimes within the 12 months to the top of January 2021, some 55 of which had been violent, it reported.
