Latest news with #flares
ABC News
8 hours ago
- General
- ABC News
Socceroos veteran Miloš Degenek believes heavy police presence and flare ban restricts Australia's home ground advantage
Socceroos veteran Miloš Degenek wants to see flares back at Australian football matches, saying travelling teams now have it too easy due to fans being over policed. More than 50,000 spectators are expected on Thursday night when Australia host Japan in a crunch World Cup qualifier at Perth Stadium. The match will be played less than a week after riot police were called to control unruly fans walking to Melbourne City's A-League Men grand final win over arch-rivals Melbourne Victory, two-and-a-half years on from Victory's infamous pitch invasion. About 20 flares were lit in the crowd, with one police officer taken to hospital after allegedly being kicked. Football Australia strictly bans flares and other pyrotechnics in and around stadiums, with perpetrators facing hefty bans. The Socceroos have played before plenty of hostile crowds over the years in various World Cup qualifying campaigns, but Degenek feels Australian fans aren't given the scope to return the favour. "It would be a lot nicer if when countries come to Australia to play against us, the crowd was a little bit more hostile," Degenek said in Perth on Tuesday. "Put it this way. I played in Serbia. I played at Red Star Belgrade, in the Eternal Derby where you play Partizan (Belgrade), where flares are thrown onto a pitch, where the city gets shut down on game day. "But in the end, that's normal for me. There's no fear. "There's a code in the footballing world: Fans are never going to attack footballers. "I saw the pictures from the (A-League) grand final — a lot of police. "For me, I just think it's nonsense that you have people in riot gear for guys who are going to a game. Victory chairman John Dovaston and managing director Caroline Carnegie lashed police for their "disproportionate" presence. "The scenes we saw prior to the grand final on Swan Street were overwhelming and unacceptable," Carnegie and Dovaston said in an email to fans. "Instead of promoting a fun and exciting spectacle of football, the extent of the police presence created fear amongst families and football fans alike. "We need to create and demand long-term change. "There is a line between keeping people safe and creating fear in the first place, and we believe the latter is what occurred. This is not acceptable. We will not allow our members and fans to continue to be treated this way. "While we would never accept anti-social behaviour, the disproportionate deployment only served to justify a narrative about football fans in this country." Degenek believes tightening down on people's rights with a huge police presence leads to more problems. "In the end, you're going to force an issue, because you're narrowing down corridors where they can walk," he said. "You're pushing them to a side. Someone's going to step on someone, someone's going to push and then that escalates really quick, rather than give them freedom to move and getting them safely to a stadium." Degenek believes more people would attend games if they were policed less. "You need to give the fans the freedom, the joy," he said. "In Europe, you have less police, and that's where you have more fans at the games. "And for us as footballers, it's a lot better when you see flares in the stadium, when you see fans screaming, chanting, flares going off, because that kind of gets the adrenaline going and motivates you even more." The Socceroos (13 points) sit second in their qualifying group. A win over Japan (20 points) would almost certainly lock in their place for the 2026 World Cup. AAP
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Melbourne descends into chaos as thousands of wild A-League fans set off flares and heavily armed police are called in
Australian football fans flooded Melbourne 's streets, chanting anti-police slogans and letting off flares, in the lead-up to Saturday's A-League grand final. Melbourne City conquered rivals Melbourne Victory 1-0 at AAMI Park in front of almost 30,000 supporters. Before kick off, Victoria Police arrested a fan outside Precinct Hotel, pulling him through the crowd as hundreds marched to the stadium, The Herald Sun reported. In an attempt to control the flow of fans, at least 100m of traffic barricades were installed along the pub strip on Swan Street in Richmond. Police blocked it at 5:30pm and instructed fans to change their direction away from the railway bridge: 'No one under the bridge, no foot traffic under the bridge,' police said. Supporters could be heard yelling anti-police chants at G bar, a popular spot for Victory fans. They also lit bright flares below Richmond railway bridge. Footage taken on the Richmond streets showed officers standing in two rows as the crowd grew louder. Victoria Police said on Friday that officers would focus on preventing and de-escalating any incidents. The public was also warned officers would have 'zero tolerance' for anyone engaging in reckless or anti-social behaviour, before or after the match. Two weeks before the final, on May 17, Victoria Police said a group of soccer fans lit around 15 flares under a bridge on Swan Street while marching to a game. They said billowing smoke under the train line could disrupt the public transport network. Police bolstered resourcing around the stadium on Saturday night, surrounding licensed venues and public transport hubs throughout Richmond and the CBD. Officers worked with the mounted brigade, highway patrol, and the public order response team. Fortunately, fans were able to exit the grand final without incident. The police effort was carried out with the aim of avoiding a repeat of the shocking scenes from an infamous Mlebourne derby in 2022 that saw a pitch invasion and 29 arrests. Approximately 150 Victory supporters stormed the pitch that day, unleashing 80 flares or fireworks and forcing the abandonment of the Melbourne derby. Melbourne City goalkeeper Tom Glover left the field bleeding from a head wound. Referee Alex King, two security guards and a camera operator were also injured following the mayhem. It followed a portion of Victory fans announcing plans pre-game via an Instagram page titled Original Style Melbourne (OSM) to storm the pitch after 20 minutes. The action was in protest of the controversial decision to hand Sydney grand final hosting rights until 2025.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Liverpool FC victory parade flares warning from police
Liverpool fans heading to Monday's victory parade are being urged not to set off flares or smoke bombs, after dozens of people were injured - including a three-year-old child - during recent celebrations outside 50 people were treated for burns caused by flares being set off after Liverpool clinched the Premier League title against Spurs last month, police and health officials in the city of thousands are expected to line the 10-mile (0.6-km) parade route on Monday, and the club has issued a joint plea with the council, police and doctors for people not to use pyrotechnics."Some of the injuries we've seen have been absolutely horrific, some life-changing, and we just want to avoid that," Ch Insp Chris Barnes said. "Some of these flares, we've been told, can burn up to 2,500C, so they are really really dangerous," he Bimal Mehta, and emergency department consultant at Alder Hey, said flare burn injuries could cause lifelong scarring and disfigurement, and the smoke can be an irritant for children who suffer with asthma or other breathing problems."If the flares or smoke bombs go off in a crowded area where children can't move away from, then they might inhale them and might need to come into hospital for treatment," he said."They are designed as distress signals. They're designed to generate a lot of light and heat and smoke to call aid to someone who's in distress."They are not designed for use in crowded areas or confined spaces."Ch Insp Barnes added: "Don't be that parent or guardian that's got to explain to Alder Hey hospital, to the doctor, that your child has got significant injuries due to you giving them a said there would be professional pyrotechnic displays along the parade route."Please leave it to the professionals to avoid any injuries and let's make sure everyone enjoys the day," he said. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
06-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Bradford City fans flock to promotion parade
Fans set off orange flares Adam Laver BBC News in Bradford Bradford City fans have set off orange flares to keep them entertained while they wait for the players to arrive. The open-top bus is set to leave the University of Bradford Stadium at about 19:00 BST. Thousands of supporters are now gathering at City Park and are creating and atmosphere for the players.
