Soccer Fans Attemt to Burn American Flag

Associated Press via ESPN ^ | September 22, 2001 | AP

[oldvike]

Club coach disgusted by display

[Associated Press]

EDINBURGH, Scotland -- Fans of the Greek soccer club AEK Athens tried to burn the American flag before the team's match against Scotland club Hibernian, and booed during a moment of silence for the victims of the terrorist attacks in the United States.

"What went on in Athens disgusted me," Hibernian coach Alex McLeish said Saturday. "With what happened last week, innocent people of all nationalities in America, anyone would show respect."

There was a minute's silence at all 77 European games played during the week. But McLeish said that as the players stood in silence to pay their respects in the Athens stadium before Thursday's UEFA Cup game, many AEK fans jeered through the silence and tried to burn the American flag.

"What badly disappointed me was that there was no effort made by anyone, the police included, to do anything about it," McLeish said. "When I first heard all the shouting and jeering, I thought it was their way of doing the minute's silence. Then I was told by someone who said, `Look, they're burning the American flag.'

"I could not believe such anti-American feeling in a European country."

Several hundred fans booed and jeered, and a group set fire to an Israeli flag, while others tried to burn an American flag but couldn't get it to light.

[ValerieUSA]

How more empty a gesture can there be, but a moment of silence?

[F.J. Mitchell]

The Greeks have turned to geeks.

[BritBulldog]

What can I say. You think a minute's silence is meaningless. Many people would say it wasn't. Perhaps you think a lot of other things are meaningless too. National Anthems, Religious Services etc.

[timydnuc]

You know, this crap is bothering me less, and less. As always, we are on our own. We have fought our own battles for 200+ years and we've done it with little, or no help from anyone else. That's what has made us strong. These idiots just make us stronger.

Greece....humm...good olive oil, lousey booze! They haven't rebuilt their own country since the Roman invasions. Yea, we should really care about what THEY think!

[Nogbad]

Never forget, the word Xenophobia comes from the Greek.

Greece lives off tourist dollars, but despises foreigners, Americans ABOVE ALL.

[F.J. Mitchell]

# 28: Good idea, make them out of asbestos, that way it can inflict harm upon those who desecrate it.

[ValerieUSA]

You cannot find meaning in a forced moment of silence. There is meaning in prayer, meaning in a battle cry, meaning in speaking up for human rights, meaning in pledges, in weeping and protesting and singing and laughter and even in being struck speechless.... but not in a forced moment of silence. It is an empty gesture.

[balls]

Let's not condemn a whole nation for the acts of a bunch of moronic soccer hooligans! Soccer crowds should never be considered representative of their fellow countrymen. It goes with that horrible game.

[FreeReign]

How more empty a gesture can there be, but a moment of silence?

A moment of silence -- at time when you are left with your own solitary thoughts. As I said, it is meaningless to you -- Valerie.

[Alan Ford]

Greece - another country that would be speaking German, if not for us.

Huh ?

Greeks fought the Germans themselfs .No American ever fought Germans in Greece . They had more help from the Russians then from the Americans

[BritBulldog]

Isn't that what a minute's silence is, a silent prayer? And it's not forced. People don't have to observe it. They choose whether they want to or not.

[dighton]

I'm not sure what you mean by "forced." Was someone holding a gun on the spectators?

[BritBulldog]

Horrible game? Not like your version of football.

[njmaugbill]

Can't someone fix the title....

"Attemt"

It makes us look stupid.

[oldvike]

Please: NO profanity, NO personal attacks, NO racist or violence posts.

Huh? What did I say? If you want to find harsh language and chastise people, just go to one of the Hitlery threads.

[ValerieUSA]

No, a moment of silence is a prayer substitute in "free" countries that have become afraid of public prayers. It is a sign of oppression, not of worship or freedom or respect, but of .... silence. It is prayer robbed of meaning, tribute robbed of words, individuals robbed of voices. It fear of offending, and fear is the opposite of courage.

[jslade]

What's ironic is that there were many Greek nationals that were killed in the WTC mass murder. Worked for Olympia Airlines on upper floors.