“Out with the bastard”.
A priest in western Sweden has been reported to the court for shouting racist words at a child during a football match, reports Halland’s News.
– I can only say that it is gross slander, says the priest to the newspaper.
The incident is said to have occurred during a football match in western Sweden. Hallands Nyheter writes that the priest was there as a spectator and that after about ten minutes he started using racist slurs.
A private person has reported what happened to the judicial chapter in the Diocese of Gothenburg, which confirms to TV4 Nyheterna that a report has been received.
“There’s an older man standing behind me and loudly and angrily saying ‘get the hell out of here!’ when a dark-skinned player in the NN team almost scored,” the private person writes in the report and continues:
“I then felt the anger rising inside me, but kept calm and told him that you don’t say that, whereupon he then says “yeah! Kick the bastard down!”.
The team in shock
Hallands Nyheter has spoken to a leader of the child’s team who says that several parents in the stands stated that they heard the man shout racist insults at one of the players – and the leader describes the team as “a bit shocked”.
The priest himself tells the newspaper that he does not want to comment on what happened until the judicial chapter has given its opinion. However, he denies that he allegedly used the n-word.
– I can only say that it is gross slander. It has nothing to do with the truth, says the priest to Halland’s news.
The vicar has spoken to the priest
The pastor of the local congregation tells the newspaper that he is informed about the incident and that he has had a conversation with the man concerned.
– However, I do not want to refer to any details of that conversation, but we have suggested how he should act in this situation. I am aware that a report has been made to the judicial chapter. It is not my role in the local congregation to try the case, says the vicar, he tells HN.
In addition to the notification to the judicial chapter, the relevant district football association has also received a letter about the incident.