“Anti-Semitic protesters” chanted “Heil Hitler” and seemingly made Nazi salutes during the Israeli national anthem, which preceded the Israel-Paraguay soccer match at the Paris Olympics over the weekend, USA Today reported.
You can view video of the chant and salutes here. Yahoo Sports said it was an “indistinguishable chant.” You be the judge.
‘Paris 2024 strongly condemns these acts.’
What’s more, a “Genocide Olympics” banner was displayed at Saturday’s match:
Stewards removed protesters from the stadium, Sky News reported, and French authorities have opened an investigation into the anti-semitic display, CNN reported.
“Paris 2024 strongly condemns these acts,” a Paris 2024 spokesperson said in a statement, according to USA Today. “A complaint has been lodged by Paris 2024, which is at the disposal of the authorities to assist with the investigation.”
But Guy Luzon — head coach of Israel’s soccer team — appeared to use the ugly behavior as motivation.
“Bring on the loudest protests,” he said, according to USA Today, which cited Ynet News. “They make us work harder.”
Paraguay defeated Israel 4-2.
Yahoo Sports added that prior to the start of the Olympics, a left-wing French politician said Israeli athletes were “not welcome” in Paris, and the Palestine Olympic committee wrote a letter to International Olympic Committee head Thomas Bach demanding the banning of Israel from the games.
More from Yahoo Sports:
In an effort to limit the threat of potential clashes between Israeli fans and pro-Palestinian activists, French Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin vowed to create an “antiterrorism perimeter” around Israel’s opening soccer match against Mali last Wednesday. Outside the stadium, throngs of police kept watch or patrolled by foot. Most carried guns and wore bulletproof vests. Some were on horseback or clad in riot gear.
The Israeli soccer team bus arrived last Wednesday escorted by an armada of motorcycle police and police vans. As kickoff approached, the sound of police helicopters could be heard overhead.
Kickoff between Israel and Mali arrived without any major disturbances, save for loud boos and whistles from the crowd at the start of the Israeli national anthem. It’s unclear how much, if at all, the police presence was scaled back for Israel’s second match against Paraguay.
The Paris public prosecutor’s office announced that it also has opened an investigation into death threats against three Israeli athletes, the Jerusalem Post reported.
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