ABSTRACT
Recent events in Serbia, particularly the murder of a French football fan in 2009, hooligan violence in response to the gay parade in Belgrade and riots during the Serbia–Italy UEFA football game in 2010, have brought renewed attention to the issue of hooliganism in Serbia. Apart from vehemently opposing the gay parade, the main actors in these riots – football hooligans and members of radical nationalist groups – have made far-reaching appeals about the nature of Serbian identity, morality and the ‘true’ Serbian nation, have called for toppling of the current government and a clear anti-EU stance. This paper simultaneously explores the overlap between football hooliganism and the extreme-right movement, as well as the reaction of everyday people to the activities of the groups’ participants. Discourse analysis of 2700 reader comments in response to the events surrounding the 2010 gay parade provides rich information on the major themes in everyday people’s reactions to hooliganism.
