Australian police slam Serb football fans
(AFP) – 15 hours ago
MELBOURNE — Police on Wednesday lashed out at Serbian football fans who lit flares, smashed bottles and unfurled banners backing accused war criminal Ratko Mladic during their 0-0 draw with Australia.
Inspector Mick Beattie said four people were arrested at the game in Melbourne on Tuesday evening, while seven others were evicted from the stadium for bad behaviour and drunkenness.
"These idiots just thought they could activate flares in this crowd... that it was part of their viewing culture," Beattie told reporters, adding that he was disappointed they got past security.
"These are very, very hot marine flares, and it's just a miracle that no one was burnt or injured last night."
Beattie said a laser beam was also spotted in use, while seating was damaged.
Those arrested were each fined Aus$380 (US$405) for lighting flares and Football Federation Australia banned them from all future international and domestic football games in the country.
Victoria Police said more serious penalties were needed.
"We believe there is a pressing need to significantly upgrade the penalties," Beattie said.
Outrage was also sparked by a banner being unfurled calling for the release of Mladic, who was arrested last month and indicted for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in the 1992-95 Bosnian war.
Another read "Death to Tadic, Freedom to Mladic", the Melbourne Herald-Sun reported. Boris Tadic is the Serbian president, whose government arrested Mladic and sent him to The Hague.
Bosnia's ambassador to Australia, Damir Arnaut, told the newspaper he was appalled by the signs.
"This is a despicable act that speaks volumes about the mentality of those who participated in it," he said.
"By unfurling this banner, let alone taking the time to create such an elaborate design, they unequivocally expressed support for the slaughter of over 8,000 civilians."
Melbourne is home to a large ethnic-Serb community.
Violent clashes rocked the city's Australian Open tennis tournament in 2009, with Serb and Bosnian fans hurling chairs and other objects at one another following Serbian Novak Djokovic's win over Bosnian-born American Amer Delic.
The Serb and Croatian communities in Melbourne are just out of control every time a sporting event involving either country takes place especially the Australian Tennis Open. This is the same Serbian community that marched in the city center mourning Slabodan Milosevic.