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Scottish Jewish leaders welcome investigation after Nazi flag flown at Rangers match
Rangers fans displayed the SS Totenkopf symbol at a game against Aberdeen on Saturday
October 2, 2023 15:59
Rangers fans displayed the SS Totenkopf symbol at a game against Aberdeen on Saturday
October 2, 2023 15:59Scottish Jewish leaders have welcomed Rangers Football Club’s decision to launch an investigation after an SS flag was flown by supporters during a match.
During a game against Aberdeen on Saturday, a group of fans at Rangers' Ibrox stadium could be seen flying a banner that read: “Rangers. Active unit. 936. The firm.”
At its centre was a Totenkopf, or "death's head", which was used as the symbol of the SS.
After a photo of the flag went viral online, a Rangers spokesman said: “Clearly, this flag is absolutely unacceptable and the club condemns the displaying of it within our stadium in the strongest possible terms.
“The club can confirm an investigation is now underway.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities told the JC: “Antisemitism has no place in football, either on the pitch or in the stands, so we welcome the fact that Rangers Football Club have launched an investigation after an offensive flag was displayed at Ibrox on Saturday.”
This was not the first time the Nazi symbol has been displayed by Rangers supporters, however.
Earlier this year, fans flew a different flag featuring the Totenkopf at Hampton Park, Scotland's national football stadium.
During a game against rivals Celtic, a Scottish flag could be seen with the words “no surrender” printed across it.
A Totenkopf, the Rangers logo, the number 936, and “expand or perish” also appeared on the banner.
The latter phrase is a line from fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, who declared "Italy must expand or perish”.
Under Nazi rule, the SS-Totenkopfverbände - or Death's Head Units - who used the Totenkopf symbol were in charge of administering extermination camps.
The skull image was also used by the 3rd Panzer Division of the Waffen-SS.
In 1940, they killed 97 captured British soldiers in the infamous Le Paradis massacre.