Torcida targets 12 Croatian journalists after Nazi-chant reports

Torcida, a Hajduk Split supporters’ group, posted images of 12 journalists after coverage of pro-Nazi and antisemitic chants, Balkan Insight reported in an Oct. 20 news article.

The case has reached Croatia’s governing coalition: the 12 journalists singled out compare with 23 individuals identified by police after the Oct. 15 march in Split, with six still detained.

Balkan Insight reported that Torcida members chanted slogans including “Auschwitz, Auschwitz,” and “Rise, Adolf” before Hajduk Split’s match against Ajax, the Dutch club. Police suspect the 23 individuals of public incitement to violence and hatred, according to the article.

Torcida later accused journalists of inflating the incident. “From a fan fight with Ajax fans, with the selfless help of the media, you have created a first-class national scandal,” the group said, according to Balkan Insight.

The group published portraits of the 12 journalists in a wanted-poster-style format, with a caption referring to “so many Judases,” Balkan Insight reported. It also posted an image of a banner reading “Worm Journalists” on its Facebook page.

The Croatian Journalists’ Association, known as HND, asked police and the State Attorney’s Office to respond. SafeJournalists, an international media-freedom organisation, urged Croatian authorities to protect the journalists and pursue those responsible, according to the report.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, leader of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, backed journalists on Monday. “We always stand up for journalists. We don’t have to agree with their views, comments or even with what is sometimes an undisguised bias; regardless, we still stand up for them,” Plenkovic said.

Ivan Penava, whose far-right Homeland Movement is part of Plenkovic’s governing coalition, held a press conference on Tuesday and denounced what he called a “political and media witch-hunt” against Torcida members. Balkan Insight reported that he condemned the pro-Nazi chants but accused the Interior Ministry of deciding to “pump up this topic.”

Penava also criticised the ministry and media for publishing photographs of suspects wanted by police. Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic rejected the criticism on Tuesday, saying the release of images of wanted people was normal police practice and governed by the Law on Police Affairs.

“When the police are searching for someone and have a photograph, they release it. If they don’t have a photograph, they might release a composite sketch instead,” Bozinovic said, according to Balkan Insight. He added that police released photos only of people being sought, on the run or in hiding, not all suspects.

Source: news article, Balkan Insight, Oct. 20, 2026.