Zurich High Court acquits Schaffhausen football fans
Published: Monday, Jan 22nd 2024, 15:50
Updated At: Monday, Jan 22nd 2024, 15:50
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A misogynistic chant by Schaffhausen fans was not classified as criminally relevant by the Zurich High Court on Monday. It acquitted the six men. The banner could still be considered a provocation among fans.
It was indeed established that the six men were involved in the action, said the judge on Monday in his ruling. However, the banner "Winti Fraue figgä und verhaue" was pure provocation directed at the Winterthur fans.
It was certainly not in good taste, said the judge. But no one would see it as anything more than a provocation. As a comparison, he cited calls for violence on posters for the anti-WEF demonstration last week ("We fight back", "WEF murderers' meeting"), which would probably not be prosecuted either.
"Extremely aggressive fan base"
The public prosecutor, on the other hand, saw a red line crossed in his plea. A social problem had escalated. The slogan was no longer the usual provocation, but an incitement to violence.
The Schaffhausen fans had a perfidious plan and it would not have taken much for the "extremely aggressive fan community" to put it into action at the derby in the "powder keg" Schützenwiese. He accused the lower court of "naïve tolerance".
The defenders argued that the banner was only intended to provoke the Winterthur fan curve. Nobody would have taken the request seriously and used violence against Winterthur women. The slogan was not relevant under criminal law, even if it was "outrageous" and a "primitive insult".
Urs Fischer wanted on the gallows
One defender gave an example from his youth, when GC fans wished the then FC Zurich captain Urs Fischer to the gallows. It would never have occurred to anyone to act on the verbal provocation. One defense lawyer advised the prosecutor to attend football matches more often to get an idea of the situation. Another said that the public prosecutor's office had only opened criminal proceedings due to public pressure.
The misogynistic slogan against "any Winterthur women" was a reaction to a Winterthur banner in the first leg in Schaffhausen, the lawyers stated. The banner stated that the Winterthur women's team attracted more spectators than the FCS.
The defendants had already been punished, for example with stadium bans or expulsion from the fan organization, the defence lawyers noted. The Schaffhausen fans did not comment on the allegations in court.
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