Racists target black Strasbourg players
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Your support makes all the difference.A criminal investigation began yesterday into racist attacks on the manager and players of the football club propping up the French first division.
A criminal investigation began yesterday into racist attacks on the manager and players of the football club propping up the French first division.
Swastikas were painted at the Racing Strasbourg stadium at the weekend below slogans calling the club's manager, Claude Le Roy, a " sale juif" (dirty jew). Last week, two black players were jostled and insulted by a group of 50 people after the team lost 3-1 at home.
Private legal actions have already been taken by the club, the city's mayor and Mr Le Roy. Yesterday, the public prosecutor for the Strasbourg area opened a criminal investigation of "persons unknown" for "provocation of racial hatred" and "insults of a racial nature".
Officials at the club insist that the perpetrators are a tiny minority of the club's supporters - no more than a few dozen, mostly very young, and led by a group of older, politically motivated far-right activists. They say the club and Mr Le Roy have received many letters from other "genuine" supporters deploring the attacks.
The slogans attacking Mr Le Roy were daubed on the stadium at Meinau on Saturday night after the club lost 3-0 to Rennes in an away game.
The previous week, after a home defeat by Monaco, fans singled out two black players - Mamadou Bagayoko and Habib Beye - and jostled and insulted them outside the stadium.
Catherine Trautmann, the socialist mayor of the city, described the incidents as the "intolerable actions of a small, marginal minority". She added: "They have deeply shocked the true supporters of Racing and the people of the city."
Racism among French football supporters has been a problem in the past - especially in Paris and Marseilles - but has all but vanished in recent years. The multi-racial nature of the all-conquering national team, mirrored in many clubs around the country, has been put forward as a force for tolerance in a country in which recent opinion polls have shown a high proportion of racist opinions.
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