WORLD MEDIA ON ANTISEMITISM IN SPLIT: HAJDUK FANS DISGRACE THEMSELVES IN EUROPE

BIJELJINA, OCTOBER 16 /SRNA/ – International media have expressed outrage over the disgraceful behavior of fans of Split football club Hajduk and their horrific antisemitic and Nazi chants, saying that the Torcida supporters had disgraced themselves in the eyes of Europe.

The Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom reported yesterday that the Hajduk-Ajax match had been overshadowed by antisemitic and violent incidents, including chants of "Kill the Jews", "Auschwitz," "Get up, Adolf" and "Come on, Ustasha!"

The newspaper reminded that some Ajax fans have used the name "Super Jews" and Jewish symbols as part of their supporter identity for decades, a tradition that developed partly in response to antisemitic abuse from rival fans.

Ynet, one of Israel's most widely read news websites, published an article headlined "Auschwitz, Auschwitz: Antisemitism Against the 'Jewish Club' and Its Israeli Player."

The website described Torcida's procession toward the stadium and the antisemitic chants by some supporters, highlighting in particular the references to Auschwitz and Adolf Hitler.

Israeli media also noted that Ajax have Israeli international Oscar Gloukh in their squad.

British newspaper The Telegraph published an article headlined "Croatian football fans chant vile antisemitic abuse," noting that the incident was part of a broader pattern of previous racist incidents in Croatian football and reminding that the Croatian Football Federation had been sanctioned repeatedly over fan behavior.

Dutch website FCUpdate reported that Hajduk fans had shown themselves in the worst possible light ahead of the Conference League match against Ajax, saying that a large group of Croatian supporters had sung shocking songs.

Polish sports website Przegląd Sportowy reported shocking scenes in Split before the match, saying Croatian fans had repeated a disturbing gesture from 31 years ago and incited violence against Jews through antisemitic chants.

Greek public broadcaster ERT published an article headlined "Horrific Nazi Chants and a Coffin Bearing the Word Ajax in Hajduk Fans’ Procession," while sports website Gazeta also reported on the coffin and the fans’ Nazi chants.

Romanian sports daily Gazeta Sporturilor described appalling scenes in Split and said Croatian fans had disgraced themselves in the eyes of Europe.

Chilean broadcaster Cooperativa reported on Nazi and antisemitic chants directed at Ajax, saying Croatian fans had shouted slogans referring to Jews and Hitler.

Berlin newspaper Der Tagesspiegel carried a report from the German news agency saying

Ajax had endured a bitter start to their Conference League campaign, while the match itself had come close to being abandoned because of the extensive use of pyrotechnics by home fans.

Russian media, including RBC, also reported on the possibility of the match being abandoned, mentioning previous clashes between supporters and extremist chants in Split.

In the region, Montenegro’s public broadcaster RTCG reported on the antisemitic chanting;

North Macedonia’s Sloboden Pečat published an article and video of the incident; and Slovenia’s Siol reported on clashes between supporters in Split and police interventions, while Dnevnik covered the antisemitic chants.

Media in BiH also reported on the incident.

Last night, as they made their way to Poljud Stadium for the match against Dutch club Ajax, Torcida fans chanted "Auschwitz!", "Get up, Adolf!" and "Kill the Jews!" A car carrying a coffin marked "Ajax" led the procession.

They also shouted "Come on, come on, Ustasha!" and later sang: "I fire up the blast furnaces, three rows of coke, four Jews. The Jew screams — aaa!"