August 15, 2010 after the football match of Ukrainian Premier League between Arsenal (Kyiv) – Volyn (Lutsk) the most severe armed neo-Nazi attack on football fans happened. During the match Arsenal supporters displayed antiracist banners and banners in support of arrested Russian antifascists thus demonstrating their antiracist views for the first time in public.
Immediately after the match on the way to metro station 30 Arsenal supporters were attacked by 50 neo-Nazis including fans of Dynamo (Kyiv).
The incident went beyond football clashes: the attackers were armed with knives and brass knuckles, shouting the slogans “Heil Hitler” and “White Power”. During the fight neo-Nazis made murder attempt against one of the antifascists – unconscious lying on the ground antifascist got hit by knife three times in the back. The knife hurt the lungs. After the surgery his state is stable.
Another antifascist was brought to hospital with temporary memory loss and brain injury. Other fans of Arsenal suffered multiple injuries.
Immediately after the neo-Nazi attack police arrested 4 attackers, one of which had bloodstained knife with him, others had hand brush dislodged. Pechersk district police department refuse to open a criminal case and deny the fact of ideologically motivated violence.
Neo-Nazis
Internet search confirmed that the attack was organized by the extreme right hooligans group “Terror Family”. Among them – active neo-Nazis that were convicted in criminal offences previously such as attacks on ethnic minorities and hooligan actions. This group is responsible for numerous racist symbols that occur on Dynamo (Kyiv) terraces – Celtic crosses and swastikas. At some of their web-sites there occured a message about the attack on the 60 (!) antifascists. Some of these messages were removed.
Arsenal Kyiv fans
Kyiv Arsenal remains the only football club whose fans demonstrate their antifascist views in public. This caused confrontation with fans of other football clubs in Ukraine where neo-Nazis dominate. Arsenal fans were subject to armed attacks before, but this case is unprecedented.
Police
Immediately after the neo-Nazi attack police arrested 4 attackers, one of which had bloodstained knife with him, others had hand brush dislodged. Despite this police want to set them free and impose that the fight was arranged in advance by both sides.
One of the injured antifascist was questioned in a hospital. Police used psychological pressure trying to impose that the fight was arranged by both sides in advance.
These facts show that police is trying to hide the ideological grounds of the attack on Arsenal supporters. The authorities refuse to recognize the existence of neo-Nazi gangs in Ukraine that organize mass armed attacks practically in the centre of the capital.
