What happened: After the fi rst half of the game, when the second referee called a technical foul, all
\nof the players and the assistant coach of BC Shkupi entered the court and wanted to assault the
\nreferee. The delegate of the Macedonian Basketball Federation terminated the game, and requested
\nfor Police offi cers to safely escort the referees in the locker rooms. During the incident, the players
\nof Shkupi were throwing plastic bottles towards the audience. After the incident, all members of
\nBC Shkupi were escorted to Skopje. However, another media reports that the Police, during the
\nintervention injured two basketball players and one other Albanian boy. According to this media, over
\n200 fans of BC Feni expressed their anger by nationalistic and racial hate.<\/p>\n
Date, time and location of the incident: June 9, 17:00 hrs, Kavadarci.
\nSource of information: The electronic media Sport365 and Zurnal.
\nVictim(s) involved: One Referee, possible victims among the players of Shkupi and their fans (by use
\nof Police force).
\nType of the crime(s): Violence (Art.386 CCRM).
\nPerpetrator(s): Unknown number of supporters of BC Shkupi.
\nBrief description of incident with bias indicators: In this incident that occurred during a sports
\nmatch, the bias motive is the ethnic origin, citizenship or language, and the bias indicators are:
\n1. Difference in ethnic background \u2013 the supporters and most of the players of BC Shkupi are Albanians,
\nwhile the players and fans of BC Feni Industry are predominately Macedonians;
\n2. Timing \u2013 the incident occurred after a basketball match between clubs with supporters \/ fans from
\ndifferent ethnic background, after a change in minority presence in the area (Albanian players and
\nsupporters in neighbourhood populated predominately by Macedonians);
\n3. Nature of violence \u2013 the incident was carried out in public;
\n4. Lack of other motives.<\/p>\n
Status of the case: under investigation.
\nResponse of local authorities: Answering upon a Request for information of public character, the
\nMinistry of Interior Affairs (MOI) answered that PS GJ Kavadarci contacted PS GJ Bit Pazar and asked
\nto call the perpetrators and to issue misdemeanor charges. However, there is no information on
\nwhether the suspects were found or misdemeanor charges passed.
\nImpact on the victim(s) and the community: This incident puts into question the ethnic coexistence
\nbetween the two major communities in the country and the safety of people present at sports matches.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
What happened: After the fi rst half of the game, when the second referee called a technical foul, all of the players and the assistant coach of BC Shkupi entered the court and wanted to assault the referee. The delegate of the Macedonian Basketball Federation terminated the game, and requested… […]<\/p>\n