Poland outraged by Israeli soccer fans' banner during match with Polish team
Polish state officials have sharply criticised Israeli soccer fans who held up a banner reading "Murderers since 1939" during a match against a Polish team on Thursday, saying it insulted the memory of Poles, including Jews, killed during World War Two.
The banner was displayed by fans of Israeli club Maccabi Haifa during their UEFA Conference League match against Rakow Czestochowa, which was played in Debrecen in Hungary.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki demanded a firm response of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and concrete actions by the Polish diplomacy regarding the incident, the president's spokesman, Rafal Leskiewicz, wrote on the X platform on Friday.
Today we celebrate the 105th anniversary of the great Polish victory at the Battle of Warsaw in 1920. The Polish Army, together with Ukrainian forces, successfully repelled the Red Army’s westward march, safeguarding Europe from a communist revolution.
For centuries, Russian…— Karol Nawrocki (@NawrockiKn) August 15, 2025
The head of the President's International Policy Bureau, Marcin Przydacz, wrote on X that the President's Office expected Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski "to defend the good name of Poland, the Polish people and our history."
Earlier the president wrote on X that "the scandalous banner displayed by Maccabi Haifa fans insults the memory of Polish citizens - victims of World War Two, including 3 million Jews. Stupidity that no words can justify."
The banner was also strongly criticised by the Polish ministers of sport, national defence, internal affairs and digital affairs and the government spokesman.
The Israeli Embassy in Warsaw also condemned the banner, having said on X on Thursday night that "there is no place for such words and actions, from any side, neither at the stadium nor anywhere else. Never!. These shameful incidents do not reflect the spirit of the majority of Israeli fans."
Ohydne zachowanie niektórych kibiców @mhfootballclub podczas meczu z @Rakow1921 . Na takie słowa i czyny, żadnej ze stron, nie ma miejsca ani na stadionie ani nigdzie indziej. Nigdy! Te haniebne incydenty nie odzwierciedlają ducha większości izraelskich kibiców.
— Ambasada Izraela (@IsraelinPoland) August 14, 2025
Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski expressed his gratitude to the Israeli Embassy for its response to the "scandalous" banner displayed by Israeli soccer fans. He also expressed hope that the Israeli youth were aware of the fact that it was Nazi Germany which invaded Poland in 1939 and started to murder its citizens of all religions and nationalities.
Dobrze, że @IsraelinPoland zareagowała na skandaliczny transparent.
Skądinąd mam nadzieję, że izraelska młodzież jest uczona, że w 1939 to hitlerowskie Niemcy napadły na Polskę i zaczęły mordować jej obywateli wszystkich wyznań i narodowości. https://t.co/0pYvxSdYUr— Radosław Sikorski 🇵🇱🇪🇺 (@sikorskiradek) August 15, 2025
Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz described the behaviour of Israeli soccer fans as "absolutely scandalous" and said that there was no consent to historical lies regarding the Polish people.
The head of the Polish Football Association, Cezary Kulesza, said he would ask UEFA to present its position on the incident and draw consequences for the scandalous banner and the behaviour of Israeli fans during the match.
The Polish government spokesman, Adam Szlapka, said the behaviour of Israeli soccer fans was scandalous towards Poland and the Polish people. "We demand a clear response from UEFA," he said.
Rakow Czestochowa won the game 2-0, giving them a 2-1 victory on aggregate, and advanced to the fourth round of the UEFA Conference League.(PAP)at/mmr pap/
