Sports are supposed to bring out the best in humanity. But there is no denying that sometimes they bring out the worst.
The latter scenario happened Wednesday night in Miami as a soccer game between two private schools ended in a violent brawl that started with antisemitic slurs.
The violence occurred during the 2023 Boys Soccer State Championship Tournament in Florida. The game featured Scheck Hillel Community School, a suburban Jewish school, and Archbishop Coleman Carroll High School, a suburban Roman Catholic school.
“A witness video shows a group of the Catholic school students in light blue shorts surrounding a boy who was wearing the opponents’ darker uniform. Tila Levi, a Scheck Hillel parent, told Local 10 her children who attended the game told her there were insults — including painful antisemitic slurs,” wrote Rosh Lowe and Andrea Torres of local10.com.
The melee that started between two combatants quickly escalated as teammates from both sides rushed to join the fracas after Archbishop Carroll defeated Scheck Hillel, 2-1.
“Words matter,” Levi told local10.com. “It’s offensive and can lead to violence.”
Levi said that several teammates were injured in the fight, with one being concussed.
“I believe he was kicked in the face with cleats and it was next to his eye,” Levi said.
