After Lazio supporters’ Nazi salutes, now granddaughter of Mussolini calls for Celtic fans to be prosecuted over banner of hanged dictator

A banner depicting hanged Italian dictator Benito Mussolini is displayed by home supporters during Thursday’s Europa League match at Celtic Park

The granddaughter of executed Italian dictator Benito Mussolini has demanded Celtic fans who displayed a banner depicting her grandfather’s hanging body be prosecuted.

Celtic beat Lazio 2-1 in a Europa League clash last week which was marred by the behaviour of fans of the Serie A club who marched in Glasgow giving Roman salutes.

A section of the Hoops’ Green Brigade responded with a giant banner depicting Italian fascist Benito Mussolini’s body being hung from a garage in Milan after he was shot, next to the message “Follow your leader”.

But that has infuriated the family of Il Duce who was Prime Minister of Italy from 1922 until he was executed in 1945 before the end of the Second World War.

His granddaughter, Alessandra Mussolini, an Italian politician who served as an MEP and is a member of the Forza Italia party, has demanded Hoops fans be punished.

And she wants a new law of “Ducephobia” introduced.

She stated: “Whoever exposes a photo or drawing of my grandfather hanging upside down commits an act of violence, which should be pursued.

“I want to propose a new law of the crime of Ducephobia which does not yet exist but which I want to include in our judiciary.”

Lazio condemned their own fans for their antics on the streets of Glasgow and accused them of “bringing Hitler into the club”.

The club are already facing punishment from governing body Uefa, with part of the Stadio Olimpico to be closed for the Europa League game against the same opponents next month, due to fans’ racist behaviour.

And they could be hit further by European football’s governing body after last week’s shame.

Italian dictator Mussolini is regarded as the founder of fascism, which was adopted by Adolf Hitler for Germany in the 1930s.

Mussolini was later shot in 1945 by Italian partisans and hung in an Esso garage in Milan, along with his mistress Clara Petacci.