Lazio continue to insist racist abuse aimed at Milan players were “drowned out by the rest of the crowd” and “tarring everyone with the same brush is a fascist mentality.”The monkey noises and racist chants about bananas were clearly audible and filmed before, during and after the match, emanating from Lazio supporters.
However, the club refuses to leave the party line on dealing with this evident issue within its fanbase, especially after 19 ultras were stopped by police earlier in the day for unveiling a banner honouring Benito Mussolini in the streets of Milan.
“Lazio distance ourselves from these manifestations that have nothing to do with sport and are instead part of a political logic,” spokesman Arturo Diaconale told Radio CRC and news agency Ansa.
“It is important not to mix the two areas, otherwise you end up doing what some sections of the media are guilty of: it is not true that Laziali are nostalgic for fascism.
“Tarring everyone with the same brush, that is a fascist mentality. If there are certain groups who want to manifest their political ideas, let them do it with respect to the law.
“As for the racist jeers, if there were any, then they were drowned out by the rest of the crowd and the referee didn’t hear anything. I don’t think there were any particularly shameful chants or other gestures.
“We are the ones damaged by this, because the actions of a minority end up hurting the club and its fans. The vast majority of Lazio fans do not accept these incidents.
“There ought to be education and not just repression. The media attention only feeds these gestures and they ought instead to be ignored.”
However, the club refuses to leave the party line on dealing with this evident issue within its fanbase, especially after 19 ultras were stopped by police earlier in the day for unveiling a banner honouring Benito Mussolini in the streets of Milan.
“Lazio distance ourselves from these manifestations that have nothing to do with sport and are instead part of a political logic,” spokesman Arturo Diaconale told Radio CRC and news agency Ansa.
“It is important not to mix the two areas, otherwise you end up doing what some sections of the media are guilty of: it is not true that Laziali are nostalgic for fascism.
“Tarring everyone with the same brush, that is a fascist mentality. If there are certain groups who want to manifest their political ideas, let them do it with respect to the law.
“As for the racist jeers, if there were any, then they were drowned out by the rest of the crowd and the referee didn’t hear anything. I don’t think there were any particularly shameful chants or other gestures.
“We are the ones damaged by this, because the actions of a minority end up hurting the club and its fans. The vast majority of Lazio fans do not accept these incidents.
“There ought to be education and not just repression. The media attention only feeds these gestures and they ought instead to be ignored.”
Midagi positiivset Itaaliast.
Nii hoida!
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