A pro-Israel group has spoken out about anti-Semitism its members were subjected to during Union Berlin’s Conference League win over Maccabi Haifa.
During Union Berlin’s 3-0 victory over Maccabi Haifa in the first UEFA Conference League (UECL) home game of the 2021/22 season, a group of fans carrying Israeli flags said they were targeted with anti-Semitic abuse from Union Berlin fans, Deutsche Welle reported.
The youth division (“Junges Forum”) of the German-Israeli Society (“Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft” or JuFo DIG) said they had beer thrown on them and were called “f****** Jews.”
Policer also restrained another Union Berlin fan who was attempting to burn one of their Israeli flags.
“In the mixed block we were threatened by Union fans, pelted with beer and insulted, among other things, as ‘s****y Jews,’” said JuFO DIG on Twitter. “A Union fan tried to light the Israeli flag on one of our spectators, which fortunately was quickly prevented by plainclothes police.”
JuFO DIG added: “There were also Union fans who spoke out against this behavior. To be on the safe side, we switched to the Maccabi block.”
The FARE network, an organization that combats racism in EU soccer, reported that at least one Union Berlin fan performed a Nazi salute in the direction of the Maccabi Haifa side of the stadium.
“In Berlin where Union played Maccabi Haifa in the UECL eye witnesses were shocked by the levels of anti-Semitism,” FARE tweeted. “[A] man made nazi salutes towards the Maccabi fans and abused those who called him out.”
Union Berlin released a statement asking fans to send them information about the location and seat numbers of the fans responsible for the anti-Semitic behavior.
The match was the first time an Israeli team has played at Berlin’s Olympiastadion. The stadium was constructed by the Nazis when Germany hosted the 1936 Olympics.