Itay Shechter Taunted With Hitler Salutes: German Federation Condemns Anti-Semitic Act Against Israeli Player

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany -- The German soccer federation condemned an anti-Semitic act involving Kaiserslautern's Israel striker Itay Shechter and says it will not tolerate such abuse.

A small group of Kaiserslautern fans directed Hitler salutes at Shechter during Sunday's practice.

The German soccer federation's designated president Wolfgang Niersbach says such abuse has to be "nipped in the bud" and "we must act decisively."

The club's official fan group has apologized for the situation. The club says fewer than 10 fans were involved and belonged to a hooligan group banned from games.

The club, which is next to last in the Bundesliga, reported the act to the police. Police spokesman Wolfgang Denzer said authorities were still evaluating the evidence.

The Israeli embassy in Berlin also condemned the attack and said it was "appalled."

Hitler salutes and other Nazi symbols are outlawed in Germany.

The DFB has conducted a campaign to eliminate racism and other abuse for years and such acts are rare at top league matches, although problems remain in lower leagues.

Comments

[globalguy]

03:30 PM on 03/03/2012

I spend alot of time in Europe on business and my overall impression is that under the surface is a volcano ready to erupt come the next recession or heaven forbid depression.

The racial ad religious hatred and resentment still exists in the Euro Zone. This is particularly true with the ever growing Islamic minority that has no interest in assimilating. The thin veneer of chaos has unfortunately shown itself in Bosina and in various right wing groups strengthening under the guise of anti-immigration.

[courtb]

04:27 PM on 03/02/2012

What is it about football that brings such behavior out in people? In Europe, they have a HUGE problem with racism directed at players - from both fans and other players.

[George Broadway]

09:16 PM on 03/01/2012

Now that's classy!

[Gui Montag]

12:45 PM on 03/01/2012

Seems like they'd fit right in on this thread:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/29/iran-war-israel-strike_n_1311165.html

[splenetic]

11:25 AM on 03/01/2012

It does seem that the Nazi mentality of bigotry and hate is not dead. I'm not talking about the dumb soccer hooligans who were probably drunk. I'm talking about the many anti-German comments being made here by people who are probably a mean sober and "thoughtfully" relish in their bigotry. The comments may be anti-German, but I can't help but think that Hitler would be pleased that his legacy of hate lived on.
By the way, there are also some anti-semitic and anti-Israel comments here as if one vile bigoted comment cancels out another. It doesn't. It just adds to the pile of bile..

[Luuke]

10:55 AM on 03/01/2012

Pay me a few millions and chant a few racist words...I'll take it any day than my current situation...

[glitterik]

06:47 AM on 03/01/2012

This is why although I love to travel, I will never set foot in either Germany or Austria. And no, I am not Jewish.

[splenetic]

10:53 AM on 03/01/2012

It could open your eyes and dispel your prejudices, but that wouldn't be any fun for you, would it?

[IndependentBadger]

11:43 AM on 03/01/2012

That attitude creates more prejudice than any other.

It is through mutual EXPOSURE that different peoples learn to trust one another.

It's also just plain stupid to leave those two countries off your list. They're two of the most precious places on Earth.

[adamantthe1st21]

03:14 AM on 03/01/2012

As an Arab Israeli player once said : " After i finish playing for the national Israeli team , i am just treated like a second class citizen and a dog"

[Gui Montag]

09:27 AM on 03/01/2012

Oh so that justifies it. I see.

[adamantthe1st21]

09:45 PM on 03/02/2012

Absolutly not ! And the punks should be jailed.

[courtb]

04:32 PM on 03/02/2012

Who said that?

[adamantthe1st21]

09:43 PM on 03/02/2012

Their best soccer player..... few years ago.

[Joshua Kaanaana]

02:31 AM on 03/01/2012

I thought Germany didn't tolerate this type of act in the form of formal fines.

[Cavcop]

02:05 AM on 03/01/2012

Oy vey!

[CologneCitizen]

01:47 AM on 03/01/2012

I don't get it. We are a nation of 80 million people now. A few hooligans misbehave and people judge a whole country from this ? Because of its past ? How long ago was it forbidden for blacks to sit in the front of a bus, or black people going to college ? KKK anybody ? Racism is still prevalent in the US, even a tourist can spot it, sometimes right in the open and sometimes hidden politically correct.

[ranwolf1976]

01:45 AM on 03/01/2012

If these guys were banned from the game, how'd they get in?

[Mio Jones]

05:10 AM on 03/01/2012

its was an open training session at the stadium, some hooligans just chanted "Drecksjude" "dirty jew" there are video footage of this....

[fishbbtnc]

12:27 AM on 03/01/2012

Could we be looking at a 3rd try?

[purkasz]

01:25 AM on 03/01/2012

Look to Iran for that move.

[spindr4015]

12:24 AM on 03/01/2012

Germany can ban Hitler salutes and other Nazi symbols all they want but it has always been obvious the anti-Semitism that lies just below the German surface. It, of course, exists throughout the world but Germany is the worshipped role model of anti-Semites. That is why I will never set foot in Germany. (I am not a Jew)

[Capricornjack83]

12:40 AM on 03/01/2012

Actually, during WW2, most American's were just as anti-sementic as the Nazi's. America watched Hitler and his actions against other countries, and the Jewish, for quite some time into the war. America didn't step a foot forward to really help until after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. The reasoning behind anti-semitism being so closely connected with Germany has to do with Hitler and WW2, not throughout German history. You really should study a bit more into history and culture before judging an entire country or people.

[Richard Bartholomew]

02:37 AM on 03/01/2012

'...not throughout German history.'

Well now hold on there good buddy---not so fast. There's plenty of evidence that pograms against Jews occured in Germany as early as 1096:

'Diese fundamentalistische Weltsicht und die Gier nach dem Geld der reichen jüdischen Kaufleute führte 1096 zu den ersten Pogromen in Deutschland.'
-- Arno Herzig, Jüdische Geschichte in Deutschland: von den Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart, Verlag C.H.Beck oHG, München 1997, p. 31 (http://books.google.de/books?id=X2b6_2dynesC&pg=PA31&lpg=PA31&dq=%22Pogromen+in+Deutschland%22&source=bl&ots=_8zxeWSPbC&sig=BgoTgkkmbtnynkg3_sL-XWWUhH0&hl=de&sa=X&ei=TCVPT_z8IKah0QXcgMHbCw&sqi=2&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22Pogromen%20in%20Deutschland%22&f=false)

History records a sordid series of subsequent pogroms culminating in the big one in 1938.

[eagleclaw]

09:03 AM on 03/01/2012

Maybe there is something wrong with the attitudes and behaviours of the Ashkenazi Jews that causes so much scorn and hatred throughout the world , does anybody EVER consider that?

7 Billion people can't be wrong!

[courtb]

04:39 PM on 03/02/2012

Yes - it's the Ashkenazi Jews' fault that they cause so much scorn...let's just blame the victims of all racism everywhere. It's obviously the fault of Muslims that they face so much hatred right now - why is that?

I mean, 70 million billion people can't be wrong! (I thought I'd take your hyperbole to its proper place).

[governorphil]

12:09 AM on 03/01/2012

The Israeli embassy in Berlin also condemned the attack and said it was "appalled."

??? The attack? A symbolic gesture does not equal an attack. I am sure the thousands upon thousands who have been physically attacked would agree and trade their own experience for the salute of a dead statesman any day.