Shame: Ireland's national team tried to silence Israeli journalists | Watch

Israeli journalists were physically attacked during a press conference of the Irish national team in Serbia, after asking about racist chants directed at Israeli players. The Irish Football Association's spokesperson snatched microphones from the reporters and shut down the event. UEFA is furious over the conduct. Later, Shlomi Barzel deflected a provocative question from an Irish journalist about fan support for the IDF.

An international scandal in Serbia: the official press conference of the Irish national team was shut down after the Irish Football Association's spokesperson snatched microphones from Israeli journalists. The reporters tried to ask Irish coach Heimir Hallgrímsson about racist chants directed at Israeli players during the previous meeting in Debrecen, where they were called "monkeys." The Irish organizers lost their composure, lunged at the questioners, grabbed the microphones, and announced the event was over. They whisked the coach to another part of the stadium and continued the briefing away from the Israeli journalists. UEFA is furious over the conduct, especially given that Ireland violated regulations by showing up for the briefing with only the coach and no player. Later, at the Israeli national team's press conference, an Irish journalist attacked head of public diplomacy Shlomi Barzel over Israeli fans' chants supporting the IDF. Barzel responded sharply: "We are clearly proud of our army, and there is nothing political about it." The match tomorrow will be held at the stadium in Bačka Topola without an audience.