La Familia (hooligan firm)

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La Familia are a football hooligan firm linked to the Israeli Premier League club, Beitar Jerusalem.^[1]

[edit] History

La Familia was started by Beitar fan, Guy Israeli^[2] in 2005.^{[citation needed]} The firm has a history of racism, extreme nationalism, violence and anti-Arab chants.^[3] In August 2005 there was a riot following a match against Maccabi Tel Aviv, during which the Beitar Jersusalem fans chanted anti-Arab songs, and after the match, which they won 2–1, rioted in the southern suburbs of Tel Aviv.^[1]

In November 2007 the Israel Football Association (IFA) ordered Beitar to play their game against the Arab club, Bnei Sakhnin behind closed doors after Beitar fans, led by La Familia, broke a minute's silence for former Prime Minister of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin and sang chants in praise of his assassin, Yigal Amir.^[4]^[2]

After a pitch invasion led by La Familia on 13 April 2008, which forced the abandonment of the match, when Beitar were leading Maccabi Herzliya 1–0 and just four minutes from winning the Israeli Premier League, the IFA gave the points to their opponents, deducted two points and ordered that the clubs remaininghome games were to be played behind closed doors.^[3]^[5]^[4] A BBC Radio 5 programme, Crossing Continents on football in Israel which aired on 24 April 2008 focussed on La Familia, including interviews with firm members and also Beitar fans opposed to the firm because of it's alleged racism. It was claimed that La Familia make up about 20% of the Beitar support at matches.^[6]