Police detained about 100 hooligans Sunday for shouting Nazi slogans during Germany’s European Championship match against Poland. About 60 people were detained at first, and then a second group of 40 was taken into custody later, according to police.
There were no reports of violence against police, but the Austria Press Agency said several German and Polish fans clashed briefly in Klagenfurt’s largest fan zone after Germany took a 1-0 lead. Germany won the game 2-0.
Austrian police detain clashing fans. (Photo: AP)
Police encircled the first group in downtown Klagenfurt after they began shouting slogans such as, “All Poles have to wear a yellow star” – an allusion to the yellow star that Jews were forced to display during the time of the Nazi regime in Europe.
Members of the second group were arrested, according to police, after they began shouting similar slogans, among them: “Germans protect yourselves. Don’t buy anything from Poles” – again an allusion to warnings during the Nazi era, when Germans and Austrians were told to boycott Jewish stores.
Altogether 100 German fans were arrested, some for the anti-Semitic cries and some following clashes with fans of the Polish team in the fan zone in central Klagenfurt. The Austria Press Agency said those detained would be charged with disturbing the peace and expelled from Austria.
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