Sports
Croatian Police Arrest 12 Fans After Anti‑Semitic Outburst at Hajduk Split‑Ajax Match
Police in Split arrested at least 12 supporters of Hajduk Split after a Thursday night UEFA Conference League match against Ajax was interrupted by anti‑Semitic chants and the throwing of flares. The fans shouted insults at Jewish people and praised Adolf Hitler before the game, and marched behind a car bearing a coffin mock‑up emblazoned with the Ajax name, a symbol linked to Amsterdam’s Jewish community. The incident prompted condemnation from Croatian President Zoran Milanović, the conservative government, and the Israeli embassy in Zagreb. Milanović called for sanctions that would demonstrate that glorification of Nazism has no place in Croatia. The Croatian Football Association said the event damaged the country’s football image and was contrary to the sport’s values of mutual respect, tolerance and togetherness. The Hajduk club issued an apology, stating that the behaviour was not representative of the club and that it was ready to accept any disciplinary action from UEFA. The match ended with a 2‑1 victory for Hajduk, their first major European win in 16 years. Police said they may arrest additional suspects. The incident has drawn attention to the government’s handling of rising nationalist and far‑right sentiments linked to Croatia’s World War II regime, which collaborated with the Nazis. The political leader of ethnic Serbs in Croatia, Milorad Pupovac, warned that the situation in Split could be a precursor to similar events elsewhere. The event also highlighted the historical suffering of ethnic Serbs, Jews, Roma and anti‑fascist Croats in World War II concentration camps in Croatia. The club’s statement emphasized that it is not proud of the actions and is prepared to face the consequences.