- Title: Serbia's Red Star fans wheel out tank ahead of match with Young Boys
- Date: 27th August 2019
- Summary: BELGRADE, SERBIA (AUGUST 27, 2019) (REUTERS) DECOMMISSIONED, SOVIET MADE T-55 TANK PARKED IN FRONT OF RED STAR BELGRADE STADIUM WITH CLUB FLAGS TANK CANNON WELDED SHUT FRONT OF TANK WITH RED STARS COLOURS AND COAT OF ARMS TANK, STADIUM WALL AND GATE IN BACKGROUND FANS TAKING PHOTOS OF TANK FANS POSING FOR PHOTOS RED STAR COLOURS ON FRONT OF TANK (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) FAN NENAD, FROM ZRENJANIN, SAYING: "It isn't important anymore, the war ended 25 years ago, more... 25 years since it ended. Whether it (the tank) is from Vukovar, it's totally irrelevant. It matters more that they don't beat up the Serbs over there (referring to recent reports of ethnically-based attacks on Serbs in Croatia) and we don't beat anyone up, right? For me, it's totally normal." (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) FAN STANISA BOSIOKOVIC, FROM ZAGUBICA, SAYING: "I read all sorts of things in the media, but this is more sport than anything else. I don't see any provocation there, I don't know. Red Star should win." FAN POSING FOR PHOTO WITH TANK (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) FAN SASA FILIPOVIC FROM BELGRADE, SAYING: "A few days ago I was in Mostar (a town shared by Croats and Bosniaks in Bosnia) and I saw their graffiti, the "Hordes of Evil" (F.C. Sarajevo fans) and other fan groups, so that is a, let's call it a trend." That's it." VARIOUS OF FANS POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH TANK VARIOUS OF TANK WITH ST. SAVA CHURCH IN BACKGROUND
- Embargoed: 10th September 2019 12:37
- Keywords: Red Star Belgrade Champions League
- Location: BELGRADE, SERBIA
- City: BELGRADE, SERBIA
- Country: Serbia
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001ATZVE4F
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Fans of Serbia's Red Star Belgrade have parked a decommissioned tank in front of their stadium ahead of Tuesday (August 27) night's Champions League qualifying playoff against Swiss team Young Boys - in a gesture one fan described as "entirely normal".
The Soviet-made T-55 tank is one of over a thousand that served for decades with the now-defunct Yugoslav People's Army, including during the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s.
The tank, fully decommissioned, welded shut and freshly painted in camouflage colours and adorned with the club's trademark red and white emblem, was parked in front of the northern entrance of the Rajko Mitic Stadium on Monday (August 26).
The northern side of the stadium is usually reserved for Red Star supporters, who in the past have often been involved in violent incidents and expressed strong nationalist views.
"The Red Star machine is being prepared," the RSB fan Web site said ahead of the second-leg of the playoff, currently 2-2 on aggregate.
A club spokesman could not be reached for comment.
Red Star fans dismissed the idea that parking a tank in front of the stadium was provocative, and dozens of them posed in front of it for photos.
(Production: Stefan Haskins) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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