“We Regret Saving Jews” Poland Sparks Outrage with Antisemitic Banner
The shocking display follows weeks of escalating fan hostility toward Israel, with Jewish groups warning of growing normalization of antisemitism in Polish stadiums.
Twitter
A storm erupted in Poland and abroad after an antisemitic banner was displayed during a top-league soccer match between Górnik Zabrze and Katowice. The banner read: “Our ancestors died saving Jews – we are starting to regret it,” alongside an Israeli flag crossed out in black.
The display is widely seen as a direct response to a banner unfurled by Maccabi Haifa fans on August 14 during their Conference League qualifier against Raków Częstochowa, which declared: “Murderers since 1939.” That message was aimed at Polish complicity in the Holocaust and has triggered a wave of hostility across Poland’s soccer stadiums.
A Spiral of Antisemitic Provocations
The controversy began last week when Raków fans taunted Israelis with a banner stating: “Israel murders and the world stays silent.” In response, Maccabi Haifa fans shot back with their reference to 1939 and the Nazi-era slaughter of Jews.
Polish ultras have since escalated the rhetoric. Fans from across the country are reportedly uniting against Israel, with Legia Warsaw’s notorious ultras even reviving their infamous “Jihad Legia” slogan from past seasons.
This is not the first time antisemitism has surfaced in Polish stadiums. In recent years, Legia Warsaw and other clubs have displayed anti-Israel and violent imagery, often escaping serious penalties from UEFA.
UEFA Disciplinary Action
Both Maccabi Haifa and Raków are now facing UEFA disciplinary proceedings for “inappropriate messages at a sporting event.” Critics say the governing body has long turned a blind eye to antisemitic incidents in European soccer, allowing such hatred to fester unchecked.
The Bigger Picture
Eighty years after the Holocaust, the sight of Polish fans holding a banner expressing “regret” for saving Jews has ignited international outrage. Jewish organizations warn that the incident is more than just hooligan provocation — it reflects a growing normalization of antisemitism in Poland, particularly within sports culture.
For Israelis, the incident is a chilling reminder that antisemitism remains deeply entrenched in parts of Europe. For Poland, it poses another test of how far authorities are willing — or unwilling— to go in confronting hatred in their own stadiums.