FOUR PEOPLE ARRESTED FOR HATE SPEECH

SPLIT, OCTOBER 17 /SRNA/ - Croatian police have so far arrested four people over the disgraceful march through the streets of Split, during which members of the Torcida fan group chanted antisemitic and Nazi slogans ahead of the football match between Hajduk Split and Ajax.

The identities of around 15 other people have also been established, and police are searching for them. Croatian media report that the four arrested individuals are suspected of committing the criminal offence of publicly inciting violence and hatred. Police are searching for the other identified individuals because they were not found at their registered addresses. An investigating judge at the Split County Court ordered one month of pre-trial detention for five people who took part in clashes between rival fan groups and disturbances on Split's Riva waterfront on Wednesday evening, and clashed with police who intervened. Police had earlier arrested around ten people for various offences. Some have already been questioned and sentenced, while others are awaiting sentencing. A 24-year-old man was sentenced to 10 days in prison for shouting antisemitic insults at Ajax players while drunk during Thursday's match at Poljud Stadium. Split police are continuing intensive fieldwork and reviewing hundreds of video recordings in an effort to identify as many troublemakers as possible. The four individuals who took part in the procession accompanied by antisemitic and Nazi chants are expected to be brought before an investigating judge this evening. As they made their way to the stadium for the match against Ajax, fans of Split's Hajduk chanted "Auschwitz!", "Wake up, Adolf!" and "Crush the Jews!", while a car carrying a coffin bearing the inscription "Ajax" led the procession.