Red Star Belgrade Fans Honor Ratko Mladic During Football Match

Fans of Serbia’s Red Star football club honored convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic during a match against city rivals Partizan on September 6, 2026. Mladic, who was convicted of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, had previously entered Srebrenica on July 11, 1995, where Bosnian Serb forces committed atrocities against Bosniak men and boys. The tribute included a minute of silence and a banner reading 'Pravac Potocari,' referencing Mladic's actions. This event followed a recent fine of 98,250 euros ($114,100) imposed by UEFA on Red Star for a previous tribute to Mladic during a Europa League match. The club's supporters have a history of displaying similar messages, with past incidents occurring during European matches. Slobodan Georgiev, a news director at TV Nova S, described the tribute as a significant shift, noting that glorifying a convicted war criminal is not new, but the official tribute marked a troubling development. Analysts, including Sasa Djordevic from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, highlighted the long-standing connection between football hooliganism, nationalism, and politics in Serbia, suggesting that such displays risk becoming normalized. The Serbian government facilitated Mladic's burial in Belgrade with military honors after transporting his body from The Hague. UEFA's disciplinary actions included fines and a travel ban for Red Star supporters for future matches. Djordevic emphasized that while Serbia has a solid legal framework, the enforcement of sanctions against individuals responsible for such incidents remains a significant issue.