Noa Lang visited the Kazerne Dossin in Mechelen in secret last week. The Club Brugge attacker, who visited the former deportation camp accompanied by a guide, was there to carry out his alternative punishment. Lang was sanctioned after he played anti-Semitic songs at the Bruges title party on May 20, which caused a stir in Belgium.
Lang did not have to pay a fine and there was also no suspension. However, the winger of the Belgian Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office was obliged to visit the Dossin barracks in Mechelen. The Bruges winger sang a controversial anti-Anderlecht song after winning the national title. “I’d rather be dead than a Sporting Jew”, Lang sang, a reference to the club name of Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht. Anderlecht supporters are called ‘Jews’ in Belgium, as is also the case in the Netherlands at Ajax, Lang’s old club. According to the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office, the chant is contrary to the federal rules, without any racist or discriminatory intent.
Un supporter de Bruges qui m’envoie fièrement ça. Noa Lang qui chante « rather die than sporting Jew » (= je préfère être mort que supporter les juifs du Sporting). Avec ce qu’il se passe actuellement, je trouve ça scandaleux ! #fcb @Club Brugge pic.twitter.com/dTQOjfD6nU
— Loic Billiauw (@LoicBilliauw10) May 21, 2021
Lang must have visited the Dossin barracks before 1 October. If that had not happened, a suspension of two games would follow. According to Bruges, the international match was an ideal time to pay a visit. The barracks houses a museum about the Holocaust and the horrific events during the Second World War. Lang’s anti-Semitic song soon caused a stir in Belgian circles. The RBFA condemn the attacker’s behavior and the Belgian Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmès was also furious. “Unacceptable, unbearable and it has no place in our society. We must fight it as vigorously as all other forms of racism,” Wilmès wrote on Twitter in May.
Lang quickly responded via Instagram Stories to the many angry reactions that poured in. “I am the child of a Surinamese father and a Dutch mother. Racism and prejudice are therefore well known to me. After winning the title, I sang in all my enthusiasm together with the supporters, whom I could meet for the first time. I know the nicknames of football teams like no other ex-Ajacied. I didn’t want to offend anyone with that. This is now closed for me and I will not come back to it,” said the attacker via social media.
The leadership of Bruges jumped in the breach for the heavily criticized Lang a few months ago. “Noa Lang has been a player at Ajax for many years and has already indicated several times that he is also a supporter of that team. Ajax Amsterdam bears the nickname Jews with pride. If Noa Lang sang along with our supporters last night after winning the national title, there is no some anti-Semitic undertones attached to it. Noa did not mean to hurt or offend anyone in any way and we are sorry if this happened. Club is committed to inclusiveness and diversity. The whole Club family hopes to be able to celebrate the title in a positive way continue”, concluded the brand new champion of Belgium on May 21.