Croatia charges 23 over pro-Nazi chants at football match

Croatian police on Monday announced criminal charges against 23 individuals suspected of inciting hatred and violence through pro-Nazi chants at a UEFA Conference League match in Split, where Hajduk Split supporters targeted Dutch club Ajax with anti-Semitic slogans last week.

Investigation details

Local law enforcement confirmed that six suspects remain in detention while officers process two additional individuals and pursue the remaining 15 defendants who remain at large. The suspects face criminal prosecution for publicly inciting violence and hatred, with potential prison sentences reaching five years if convicted, according to the official police statement issued Monday.

Chants and condemnation

Footage captured by local media showed Hajduk Split supporters marching through the coastal town before the fixture chanting "Crush the Jews", "Rise up Adolf (Hitler)" and "Let's go Ustasha" — a reference to Croatia's World War II pro-Nazi regime. Croatian leaders, opposition parties, human rights organizations, and the Jewish community issued strong condemnations of the incident, while Israel's embassy in Zagreb stated it was "deeply shocked" by the displays.

Club response and history

Hajduk Split, who defeated Ajax 2-1 in the match, issued an apology to UEFA and the Dutch club, stating they had "witnessed scenes which we do not want Europe to remember". The Croatian Football Federation also condemned the incident, which follows a pattern of ultra-nationalist hardcore fans tarnishing the nation's image through pro-fascist slogans and Ustasha symbols. In 2015, Croatia were docked one point by UEFA after fans painted a swastika on the pitch before a Euro 2016 qualifier against Italy, though the perpetrators were never identified.