© EuroFootball.com
Can you imagine German fans in Wroclaw or Opole walking the city streets and singing "Deutschland Deutschland uber alles"? - asked Father Edas Jaworskis, chairman of the "Poznanians for Rasos" committee, seeing the fans of Poznan's "Lech" chanting "Polish Vilnius" in Vilnius.
On Thursday before and during the first round of the third qualifying round of the Europa League in Vilnius, where Lithuanian and Polish vice-champions "Zalgiris" and "Lech" met, the visiting fans sang songs that could be seen as stirring up national hatred and territorial claims to Lithuania.
The priest issued a statement condemning the chauvinistic behavior of "Lech" fans in the capital of Lithuania.
"Watching the video material of the hooligans' group march, I couldn't believe my eyes and ears. If I were younger, I would say that my blood boiled. I can inform the readers that our hooligans in Vilnius were guided by such slogans: "Vilnius is ours" and "Polish Vilnius". I would like such people to forget the words of the Polish anthem and not disrespect it and the Chapel of Our Lady of Mercy in Vilnius, where it was sung," wrote the priest, who often visits Lithuania and cares for the Rasos cemetery in Vilnius.
The priest believes that the community of the city of Poznan should also not remain silent: "The capital of Great Poland must be informed about this scandal, and the city authorities should impose financial restrictions on the "Lech" club that would deter both the club and the so-called "Faith of Lech".
"Faith of Lech" is the official organization of "Lech" hooligans coordinating their activities.
"The question arises: who should apologize to the sovereign state of Lithuania, the residents of Vilnius, and all of Poland? At a minimum - an apology should be announced in all Lithuanian and Polish media," the priest wrote.
In his statement, E. Jaworskis concluded with the sentence: "I hope that the truth will reach and shave the heads of the hooligans of Poznan".
In response, "Faith of Lech" rejected his accusations, stating that the organization is not ashamed of the behavior of "Lech" hooligans in Vilnius. It relied on positive reviews in Vilnius Polish newspapers, as well as feedback from the community and Lithuanian police regarding the behavior of "Lech" hooligans.
"...This is also confirmed by the Vilnius police, who blame the "Zalgiris" fans for all provocations..." - wrote "Faith of Lech" in response to E. Jaworski.
The return match between "Zalgiris" and "Lech" will be played in Poznan on August 8. "Zalgiris" will go with an advantage - they won the home match 1-0.
