‘Direction Potocari’: From Srebrenica genocide to a Belgrade football match | Crimes Against Humanity
Supporters of Serbian Football Team Honor Convicted War Criminal at Match
Former Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic, who led forces responsible for genocide during the Bosnian War, was remembered by supporters of the Serbian football team Red Star during a recent match against city rivals Partizan. On September 6, fans displayed a banner reading “Pravac Potocari,” a phrase Mladic used upon entering Srebrenica on July 11, 1995, as he led troops into the region where thousands of Bosniak men and boys would later be killed.
Mladic, who died on August 27 while serving a life sentence for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, was also memorialized with a minute of silence and a giant image at the Belgrade stadium.
This tribute occurred just days after UEFA fined Red Star 98,250 euros (approximately $114,100) for a similar display made by the club’s ultras at a Europa League playoff in Plzen, Czech Republic, where they unveiled a banner stating, “General, eternal glory and thanks.”
The disciplinary action included a ban on Red Star supporters traveling to their next two European away matches in Lugano, Switzerland, on October 15 and Ghent, Belgium, on November 26. This is not the first instance of Red Star fans expressing support for Mladic, with a similar display occurring during a Europa League match against Belarusian club BATE Borisov in 2014.
Mixed Reactions to the Tribute
Slobodan Georgiev, news director at TV Nova S in Serbia, called the minute of silence at Marakana stadium a “qualitative shift,” emphasizing that such formal tributes to a convicted war criminal have not been previously observed. He cited a long history of the terraces serving as platforms for nationalist expressions and sentiments closely associated with paramilitary formations.
Notably, Partizan fans, known as the Grobari, had also raised their own tribute to Mladic just a week earlier, displaying a banner reading “General, thank you” during a match against OFK Beograd, further illustrating the pervasive sentiment among supporters.
Georgiev highlighted the interconnectedness of fan groups and political influences, stating that these displays are often managed by state entities for various ends. Notably, he referenced the legacy of Zeljko Raznatovic, also known as Arkan, a paramilitary leader whose association with Red Star’s fan group has been well-documented.
Political Underpinnings of Hooliganism
Sasa Djordevic, a senior analyst at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, echoed Georgiev’s sentiments, tracing the historical ties between football hooliganism, nationalism, and politics in Serbia. He cautioned that incidents like the recent displays might be normalized within societal discourse, potentially diminishing public outrage against hate speech.
Ivana Jeremic, an editor at Balkan Insight, emphasized that stadiums have evolved into venues for conveying messages that are often politically charged yet unspoken in broader society. She suggested that the relationship between fans and political authorities is well-established and that recent displays of support for Mladic could be interpreted as alignments with governmental sentiments.
On September 3, Serbian officials received Mladic’s body from The Hague for burial in Belgrade, where it was honored with military tribute, underscoring the ongoing reverberations of his legacy within Serbian society.
Hooliganism and its Consequences
Djordevic noted that during the breakup of Yugoslavia, stadiums became centers for nationalist mobilization, with connections between organized violence and extremist groups becoming more pronounced. His research highlighted that among the 122 fan groups studied, a significant portion align with radical political agendas.
The recent UEFA fines against Red Star for inappropriate conduct were structured to address various violations, but Djordevic questioned the effectiveness of financial penalties, remarking that they often fail to reach those responsible for the actions. He asserted that while Serbia has a robust legal framework, the challenge lies in consistent enforcement of sanctions to deter similar behavior in the future.
