Chilling pics of Swastika-clad little boys surrounded by football hooligans perfectly capture Bulgaria’s Nazi problem
SHOCKING photos of swastika-daubed children making Nazi salutes at Bulgaria’s cup final brutally highlight the country’s far-right football hooliganism epidemic.
The chilling images of two young boys parading around the track in front of Levski Sofia fans in 2018 sparked horror after being posted online.
An England fan who died in “suspicious circumstances” in Sofia has now been named.
The barechested boys, who appear to be under 10 years old, have “Levski hooligan” and “ACAB” (All Cops Are B*******) written on their bodies.
One is seen raising his right arm in a Hitler salute at the Vassil Levski national stadium last May, which led to an investigation by Bulgarian authorities.
The slogan SW 1999, the most extremist faction among Levski’s “Sofia West” ultras, is also painted on the boys during the game against Slavia PFC.
Stefka Ilieva, an inspector at the State Agency for Child Protection, said: “We see Nazi salutes, which are a worrying fact for us.”
RACIST SHAME
Today, cops swooped after tracking down fans accused of targeting Three Lions players during the match in Sofia, which England won 6-0.
A photo showed four suspects lined up against a wall with their backs to the camera after they were arrested.
But last year’s photos of the two boys making Nazi salutes was just one of many racist incidents that have shamed Bulgarian football.
In 2012, UEFA fined Levski Sofia 30,000 euros for their fans racist behaviour during a Europa League match.
The following year, the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) hit Levski witha £16,600 (37,500 levs) penalty after supporters waved a swastika banner and another wishing Hitler a happy birthday.
And in 2014, Levski fans showed off a banner reading “Say Yes To Racism”.
Pitched battles between sets of rival hooligans are commonplace in the country, and they even have a set of rules to follow in combat.
One ultras group on Facebook, calling themselves “Lauta Army”, even claimed to have arranged a fight with two sets of England fans, but the travelling supporters “backed out”.
The far-right thugs were responsible for almost forcing the match to be abandoned with their racist chanting.
England’s players were subjected to vile racist abuse during the game and now European football’s governing body have taken action.
The case will be dealt with by the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body but the date of the meeting is yet to be confirmed.
England have also been charged with two offences.
The Three Lions face charges of disrupting the national anthem and insufficient number of travelling stewards.
Bulgaria are believed to be looking at a potential two-match ground closure and a fine in the region of £70,000.
England are likely to be given a warning or a small fine over their charges.
Bulgarian Football Association boss Borislav Mikhailov dramatically resigned after his country’s night of racist shame.
Just hours after Mikhailov’s resignation, police raided the Bulgarian FA’s headquarters.
Evidence points to a long history of far-right violence tied up in Bulgaria’s football scene.
Pitched battles between sets of rival hooligans are commonplace in the country, and they even have a set of rules to follow in combat.
One ultras group on Facebook, calling themselves “Lauta Army”, even claimed to have arranged a fight with two sets of England fans, but the travelling supporters “backed out”.
The far-right thugs were responsible for almost forcing the match to be abandoned with their racist chanting.
England fans revealed they gauntlet of the terrifying brutes attempting to ambush them after the match.
Theo Ogden, an 18-year-old Bolton Wanderers fan from London, said: “As we walked into the dark streets away from the security of the stadium we realised the Ultras were waiting for us.
MONKEY CHANTING
“They were dressed in black like the yobs we’d seen doing Nazi salutes and monkey chanting whenever our black players got the ball.
“A group of them came close to us then more appeared and we realised they were trying to head us off and we braced ourself for a kicking – it was terrifying.
“Then a police car suddenly appeared at the last moment and gave us a chance to bolt into the nearest hotel where other England fans were also taking cover.
“I’ve never experienced anything like this at a football match or seen people so sinister – we were innocent fans but they would have hammered us if the police hadn’t stepped in.
“We heard they’d caught two England fans after the game who ended up with bloodied faces and we were too scared to head back out onto the streets.”
The firm’s website proudly describes the group, calling them “The Usual Suspects”, celebrating “25 years of organised violence”.
They posted a picture with the caption: “Lokomotiv Plovdiv lads in Sofia before Bulgaria – England after the arranged meeting with two English clubs didn’t happen as the English didn’t stick to the agreement and turned their phones off.
MOST READ IN FOOTBALL
Following Monday’s racist shame when home fans made sick monkey chants and Nazi salutes on Monday, Bulgaria president Borislav Mikhailov quit.
An official statement on the Bulgaria FA website read: “After many years spent in the post and with his many contacts at a high international level, Mr Mikhailov expresses his firm readiness to continue to help the development of Bulgarian football in every way possible.”
Earlier in the day, Bulgaria’s Minister for Sport, Krasen Kralev, revealed the Bulgarian PM had vowed to cut all ties with national football bosses unless Mikhailov quit.
For the latest news on this story keep checking back at Sun Online, where we will bring you
</