Hungarian Ambience
August 17, 2013
Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) filed an official complaint against Győr ETO football club with the Union of European Football Association (UEFA) because allegedly, Győr football fans chanted antisemitic slogans during the Champions League match between Győr and Maccabi Tel-Aviv on July 17.
Before and during the match Hungarian officials implemented tight security measures in the stadium that were unprecedented even by communist standards.
Fans had to go through several check points before entering the stadium meanwhile they were harassed by police and security guards; the exaggerated security measures included pat-down searches of every citizen entered into the stadium including children as young as 6 years old. Young kids’ shoes were taken off for inspection by security guards.
The use of Hungarian symbols was banned in the stadium. Plainclothes police officers and security guards monitored citizens rooting for the Hungarian team; even the mildest criticism of Israel or the Israeli team resulted the immediate removal of the individual from the stadium; in addition, every citizen entered into the stadium was video taped. Security cameras were placed in the home sector videoing fans’ behavior during the entire game.
The Israeli ambassador was invited to take part in the implementation of the abusive security measures against Hungarian citizens visited the match. The servility by which Hungarian football officials tried to appease their Israeli counterparts shocked even those socialized in the communist era. All in all they managed to turn the entire stadium into a police state zone.
Important to note that Israeli football fans were not subjected to these kind of Orwellian measures. They were even allowed to set off fireworks in the stadium during the match.
All the ass-kissing however, were in vain as Jews were unhappy with the measures taken against Hungarian citizens by Hungarian officials; they filed an official complaint against Győr ETO football club accusing fans of chanting antisemitic slogans during the match that is hard to believe due to the tight security and the fact that hard-core football fans boycotted the game.
Chanting or not Győr football club now, could face stiff fines; hopefully, those that responsible for the humiliation of Hungarian citizens during the match will come to the conclusion that the policy of self-abasement never produce the expected result.