Fans of the Israeli club held up a sign reading “Murderers since 1939” in English during Wednesday’s match against Raków Częstochowa in Debrecen, prompting condemnation from top Polish officials.
“There is no acceptance for scandalous behaviour towards Poles and Poland,” Sports Minister Jakub Rutnicki wrote on social media, adding that Poland would “urgently request consequences” for the club.
Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski called the act “a distortion of history,” while government spokesman Adam Szłapka also demanded “a clear reaction from UEFA.”
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski thanked Israel’s embassy in Warsaw for what he called its “unequivocal response.” The embassy described the conduct of some fans as “disgusting” and not reflective of the majority, adding that such actions have “no place in a stadium, or anywhere else. Never!”
Sikorski noted that in 1939 it was Nazi Germany, not Poland, that invaded and began killing Polish citizens “of all faiths and nationalities.”
The incident comes as UEFA has faced growing scrutiny over racist and political incidents in European football, with calls from multiple governments for tougher sanctions on clubs whose fans engage in discriminatory or inflammatory behaviour.
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Source: PAP