Police investigate racist banner at Lithuania-France game

[Zeppo]

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Police have launched a formal investigation into the brandishing of a racist banner by home fans during Saturday's Euro 2008 qualifier against France, the Lithuanian Football Federation said Monday.

"The police have started an investigation to find out who is responsible for the incident," Vaidotas Rastenis, the federation's deputy spokesman, told AFP.

"The federation in turn is to release a statement for the fans related to the incident," he added.

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[T.K.]

RE: Police investigate racist banner at Lithuania-France game

I have to ask the question.....Is that banner really racist? Bad taste yesbut racist? Man we could be opening a can of worms with that one.

I think the Lithuania fansfound a really creative way to try andunsettle the french players due to this being a bigpoliticalissue back in France. I think it is stretch to call the banner itself racist though.Forget for a second that these werelithuanians who put this banner up.......if say France was playing Bob's Etch and Sketch country and that banner was put upwould it be looked at as racist?Or moreas a way to needle the french by picking at a social scab?Thoughts? - T.K.