Police arrested a man outside the Friday afternoon practice of the Betar Jerusalem soccer team after the man yelled racist comments at a new Muslim player from Chechnya. The incident is the latest in a series of violent events from a fanatical group of Betar supporters who are furious with the team management for signing two Muslim players from the Chechen team Terek Grozny, Dzhabrail Kadiyev and Zaur Sandayev.
On January 26, Betar fans raised an enormous banner with the words “Betar Pure Forever,” referring to the fact that the team has not been welcoming to Muslim players. Extremist fans have also attacked team security guards and thrown rocks at players’ cars. Last Friday, incidents came to a head when a group of fans torched the management offices in the team’s practice facility in Bayit Vagan, causing extensive damage to the offices and destroying team memorabilia. On Tuesday night police arrested four Betar fans who identify as part of the hardcore fan group La Familia in connection with the arson attack against the team offices.