January 10 – Italian police have launched an inquiry after Roma supporters allegedly distributed anti-Semitic leaflets on Wednesday to coincide with the 119th anniversary of bitter city rivals Lazio.
The leaflets, signed by a group of Roma ultras, were posted overnight in the area where Lazio supporters gathered to celebrate the occasion. The text of the flyers read: “Lazio, Napoli and Israel, same colours, same flags. S**t.”
The move came just over a year after Lazio ultras in turn posted anti-Semitic stickers depicting Holocaust victim Anne Frank in a Roma jersey in the Stadio Olimpico.
Rome mayor Virginia Raggi condemned the latest incident and also denounced earlier clashes with Lazio supporters that left at least eight police officers injured. “Unacceptable violence against police officers by ultras. Rome cannot become a theatre for the madness of some criminals,” he said.
The skirmishes took place at Piazza della Liberta where up to 2,500 Lazio fans gathered, including the club’s president Claudio Lotito who addressed the crowd but left before tensions mounted.
Shortly after midnight, an estimated 300 fans, with their faces covered, broke away from the main group and began throwing bottles and other objects at police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons.
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