Controversial football fans send jersey to Russian lawmaker

A group of FK Rad fans took a club jersey to the Russian embassy in Belgrade, a sign of gratitude. They asked the embassy staff today to forward it to Russian Duma member Nikolai Kuryakovich, who recently voiced his support in a dispute the Belgrade-based club supporters had with the Serbian police (MUP). Controversial football fans send jersey to Russian lawmaker The controversial situation took place on November 28, during a high risk match of the second-tier Telekom First League, when Rad was set to play Novi Pazar, a club from the predominantly Muslim-inhabited Sandzak region of Serbia. The games between the two clubs have in the past been marred with serious ethnically-motivated violence in the stands, so the police banned the Rad fans from taking a Serbian flag with them to the stadium, hoping to avoid unnecessary provocation. However, after an hour of negotiations, policemen at the venue decided to allow the flag. But when the news reached the Duma deputy, he reacted by sending a message to the MUP "demanding" that the Serbian police "apologize to the fans and all Serbian citizens." This prompted some 50 fans to deliver the jersey and expressions of gratitude to the Russian embassy today. Apart from their ultra-nationalist worldview, Rad fans are regularly associated with football hooliganism, clashes with police inside and outside the stadium, and neo-Nazi tendencies. FK Rad fans engaged in peaceful supporting during a game (Beta, archive)

Controversial football fans send jersey to Russian lawmaker

The controversial situation took place on November 28, during a high risk match of the second-tier Telekom First League, when Rad was set to play Novi Pazar, a club from the predominantly Muslim-inhabited Sandžak region of Serbia.

The games between the two clubs have in the past been marred with serious ethnically-motivated violence in the stands, so the police banned the Rad fans from taking a Serbian flag with them to the stadium, hoping to avoid unnecessary provocation.

However, after an hour of negotiations, policemen at the venue decided to allow the flag.

But when the news reached the Duma deputy, he reacted by sending a message to the MUP "demanding" that the Serbian police "apologize to the fans and all Serbian citizens."

This prompted some 50 fans to deliver the jersey and expressions of gratitude to the Russian embassy today.

Apart from their ultra-nationalist worldview, Rad fans are regularly associated with football hooliganism, clashes with police inside and outside the stadium, and neo-Nazi tendencies.