Racist Czech Fans Arrested for Chants Directed at Wayne Simmonds, Who Has Since Left Team
Unfortunately, this seems to happen to Wayne Simmonds every year.
Last season, a jackass from Canada was arrested for throwing a banana at Simmonds during a preseason game. Now some Czech folks find themselves in trouble for directing racist chants toward the Flyer.
As we mentioned a few weeks ago, Czech fans calling themselves “Black Commando” chanted “opice” at Simmonds during a game last month. Opice is monkey in English. According to a Czech report, translated, those fans were arrested yesterday and charged with "misdemeanor disorderly conduct, defamation of nation, race and other ethnic groups."
There were other chants and insults, though it appears the fans, who were drunk at the time, are saying those were part of tradition at the arena. Some tradition.
Accusations are members of the fans, who call themselves the Black squad. They come in a black hooded sweatshirt and black scarf with the character that will now be examined by experts. Most of them were drunk. For example Pribyl admitted ten beers and two shots, which, according to him only "mild drunkenness, because it is trained."
According to the plaintiff Simmonds also shouted "hu hu hu", "Ku Klux Klan" and the song "Dead Gypsy floats on water and it belongs to nature." Fans in court mostly agreed that they are cries that the many years screaming hockey what it is.
"Hu hu hu is chanting at weakening, it has cast an opponent. Ku Klux Klan has always sung to We Will Rock You. Racism has nothing to do," said Pribyl. Ditty about "Gypsy" by other fans are traditionally referee when viewers dissatisfied with him.
Simmonds said he didn’t know anything about the chants until a video was posted online. He has, however, since left the team, according to this report. His departure appears to be unrelated.
via Puck Daddy