Minute's reflection for Anne Frank

By Football Italia staff

There will be a “minute’s reflection” ahead of every Serie A match in Week 10 after Lazio ultras put up stickers depicting Anne Frank in a Roma shirt.

The decision was made by the FIGC, which will also see a paragraph of her diary read out, following a shocking incident during Lazio-Benevento on Sunday evening.

Lazio ultras were moved over to the Curva Sud of the Stadio Olimpico, where Roma fans usually sit, because the Curva Nord was closed due to repeated racist chanting from that section.

While there, they attached stickers to the walls depicting Anne Frank wearing a Roma jersey.

She lived in an attic with her family in Amsterdam to hide from the Nazis, but was eventually discovered and died in the Holocaust.

Lazio have announced a series of initiatives to combat anti-Semitism and racism among their fanbase, but this incident has highlighted serious problems throughout the country.

Ascoli ultras released a statement ahead of their Serie B match tonight insisting they will “boycott” the minute’s silence and only enter the stadium after it has been completed.

“We do not want to be complicit with this piece of media theatre that forgets those affected by earthquakes and our elderly population, but is always ready to be indignant and politicise a dozen stickers.”

Lazio’s ultras also released statements defending the stickers as “banter” and refused to apologise for any offence caused.

So far, police have identified 10-15 fans they believe are guilty of setting out the stickers and many are members of the Irriducibili ultras group.

Incredibly, the youngest person identified is only 13 years old.

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