Racist Bulgaria fans abuse England’s black stars with monkey chants and Nazi salutes
RACIST Bulgaria fans on Monday night abused England’s black stars with monkey chants and Nazi salutes.
The Euro 2020 qualifier in Sofia was stopped twice because of the disgraceful scenes.
Much of the sickening abuse was aimed at Raheem Sterling who scored twice in England’s 6-0 victory.
It comes days after Bulgaria’s football chief insisted the team’s fans were not bigots.
Bulgarian yobs targeted our black stars with monkey noises and Nazi salutes after England took the lead seven minutes into the game.
Croatian referee Ivan Bebek first stopped the match in the 28th minute after England skipper Harry Kane protested at the abuse directed towards Sterling.
A stadium announcement then condemned the abuse and warned the match would be abandoned if it continued.
The warning had little effect and the game had to be stopped again in the 43rd minute.
It restarted again after the referee consulted with England manager Gareth Southgate.
Travelling England fans responded angrily to the racism by chanting at the Bulgarian yobs: “You know what you are — you racist b*******.”
As England supporters sang the National Anthem, angry Bulgarian thugs responded with Nazi salutes and offensive gestures.
Sections of Sofia’s Levski Stadium had been closed after Bulgaria were sanctioned for racist chanting during qualifiers against Kosovo and the Czech Republic.
On Monday night a group of fans dressed in black behind a “Lauta Army” banner appeared to be the source of the worst abuse.
After the game England fans told of their disgust at the behaviour and praised match officials for stopping the game.
Carol Perrin, 54, a nurse from Stockton-on-Tees, Co Durham, said: “I think there comes a time when you must make a stand.
“If you play on and then the authorities fine the Bulgarian FA, I don’t think it makes any difference.
“This way you get the message across.
“It is about a principle. You have to put yourself in the black players’ shoes.
“Imagine how they feel? Being abused from the terraces is just terrible.”
Paul Bates, 43, said: “We were right to call their fans out and make a stand.”
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Before kick-off Bulgaria coach Krasimir Balakov shrugged off racism accusations, saying it was worse in England.
He added: “I don’t think we have a problem.
“In the Bulgarian championship, we have a lot of players of different ethnicities and skin colour. I don’t think we have this big problem like, for example, England do.”