16th March 2016
Charities and campaign groups have today put pressure
on Madrid's authorities and UEFA to act after PSV Eindhoven fans humiliated
women beggars in Madrid's Plaza Mayor on Tuesday.
The Dutch supporters, who were in the
Spanish capital ahead of last night's Champions League clash with
Atletico Madrid ,
threw coins at begging women while others burned bank notes in front of them.
Having thrown coins on the floor, the drunken fans
cheered heartlessly as the women - mainly understood to be refugees - chased
the money that could help feed their families, as well as reports of racial
abuse.
The pressure group Movimiento contra la Intolerancia (Movement against Intolerance) have called the actions
a "hate crime" and asked for the local authorities to pursue the
Dutch supporters for what they call "a racist humiliation" of the
victims.
"The authorities have to investigate this using
recordings and witness statements," a spokesman said.
"With collaboration from the Dutch embassy we
need to identify those who perpetrated these actions."
They also called on UEFA to act, with the European
governing body's disciplinary code allowing sanctions when "the human
dignity of a group or person is insulted in any way, including skin colour,
race, religion or ethnic origin."
It is not the first time Dutch fans have
left an unhappy trail across Europe, with Feyenoord fans last year rioting in
Rome.
A spokesman for PSV supporters, Harrie Timmermans,
callously pointed out that "at least the beggars are better off,
financially".
Authorities
and UEFA asked to take measures against PSV fans for beggar humiliation in
Madrid
The group Movement against Intolerance have asked the
appropriate Spanish authorities and UEFA to take action, quoting the
disciplinary code which states that sanctions can be taken when "the human
dignity of a person or group of people are insulted."
On Wednesday, the Movimiento
contra la Intolerancia - Movement
against Intolerance - put pressure on the authorities responsible for hate
crimes to take measures against the "racist humiliation" that was seen yesterday against homeless people from
Romania in Madrid's Plaza Mayor by PSV Eindhoven fans.
In a statement, the group condemned the "humiliating" and
"degrading" acts committed
prior to the Champions League match to a group of gypsy women of Romanian
origin who were begging in the centre of Madrid. The fans of the Dutch team shouted
racist insults towards
these women, which, according could constitute a crime.
"The authorities should investigate this using
recordings and the testimonials available," said a spokesman who went on
to say that in conjunction with the Dutch embassy they must identify those
responsible for
the crimes and punish them.
In addition, requests were made to UEFA with their
disciplinary code being cited. This allows for sanctions to be set when
"the human dignity of a group or person is insulted for any reason,
including skin colour, race, religion or ethnic origin. "Responsibility
is also required, he added, to the football club PSV Eindhoven itself.
Vocabulary:
pursue: follow in order to capture.
Chase: follow rapidly, pursue
callous: insensitive, uncaring, unsympathetic /callously:
brutally, cruelly, heartlessly
be better off: be in
better circumstances, more fortunate happier.
To beg: ask for money or charity
To require: order sb to do sth, demand, especially with
authority