Besides the ultras there is a long tradition of gangs using these games to attack each other in many countries. Often a lot of the violence comes from poor areas that turn local football matches into mayhem.
Who were they playing? Maybe that was a symptom of the rivalry or something like that. I went to a game at White Hart Lane earlier this season and the police presence didn't seem over the top at all, and it was completely safe.
Aston Villa on the last game of the season. Which is why the deployment was so striking. It was obviously routine for them.
Igor Lebedev, a member of the executive committee of the Russian Football Union who is also deputy chairman of the national parliament, posted on Twitter: “I don’t see anything wrong with the fans fighting. Quite the opposite. Well done, lads. Keep it up!”
Quote:
Lebedev also told news agency life.ru: “In nine out of 10 cases, football fans go to games to fight, and that’s normal. The lads defended the honour of their country and did not let English fans desecrate our motherland. We should forgive and understand our fans.
This poorly timed gem:
Quote:
The spokesman for Russia’s top investigative agency, Vladimir Markin, also took to Twitter on Monday to mock French efforts to contain the violence, claiming they could not handle “real men” because they were used to policing gay pride marches.”
A senior Russian police official has claimed his French counterparts were unable to handle Russia's "normal" football fans in Marseille this weekend because they are more used to policing "gay parades."
Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for Russia's equivalent of the FBI, made the comment on his verified Twitter account.
Ireland and Sweden fans were awesome today, lots of videos of them just happily singing along together, drinking and just having a great time. This is what it should be about.
What the eff is wrong with these people? They aren't a bunch of drunk teenagers -- those are "adults". Why didn't they grow up into actual adult men? And what the hell do they get out of this? You are 35 years old and you go to a soccer match to get in a fight? Don't they see how stupid they are being? How do they explain themselves to the people they know? Their parents?
"Yes mom, that was me on the news, getting in a fight. Again. I sure showed that stranger though".
The whole thing is mind-buggering. That video of the Polish gangs above is just 10 minutes of things that make you shake your head. Nobody gets anything out of it. At least with most crime, the idea is to, you know, take something of value, or get some sort of benefit from it. Nobody is benefiting from this behaviour. People get hurt, and that's it.
What the eff is wrong with these people? They aren't a bunch of drunk teenagers -- those are "adults". Why didn't they grow up into actual adult men? And what the hell do they get out of this? You are 35 years old and you go to a soccer match to get in a fight? Don't they see how stupid they are being? How do they explain themselves to the people they know? Their parents?
"Yes mom, that was me on the news, getting in a fight. Again. I sure showed that stranger though".
The whole thing is mind-buggering. That video of the Polish gangs above is just 10 minutes of things that make you shake your head. Nobody gets anything out of it. At least with most crime, the idea is to, you know, take something of value, or get some sort of benefit from it. Nobody is benefiting from this behaviour. People get hurt, and that's it.
What's the point?
That they're men. Manly men who are strong. They can lift things and do other manly things like fight, and drink, and fight, and lift things. This is what makes a man. We North Americans know nothing of manliness, we know only of smelling pretty like a woman and making our faces smooth like a baby.
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That they're men. Manly men who are strong. They can lift things and do other manly things like fight, and drink, and fight, and lift things. This is what makes a man. We North Americans know nothing of manliness, we know only of smelling pretty like a woman and making our faces smooth like a baby.
Ha. For sure. Very manly. Acting like a teenager is the best way to show everyone you are a man.
On that note, how do women see these guys? Every woman (hell, every person) I know would consider these guys losers right off the bat. If you travel around and get in fights because of soccer (or any sport, or really any reason) then it's kind of obvious that you are a loser. I wonder how they are seen amongst regular Europeans.
UEFA handed Russia a "suspended disqualification" and 150,000 Euro fine for the actions of their fans in that game. Basically, if the fans commit further acts of violence, they are threatening to throw the Russians out of the tournament.
UEFA handed Russia a "suspended disqualification" and 150,000 Euro fine for the actions of their fans in that game. Basically, if the fans commit further acts of violence, they are threatening to throw the Russians out of the tournament.
Kicking Russia out might be the only way England qualifies out of their group!
...then cue the furious Russian accusations of a Western plot against Russia. I'm surprised a Russian social media propagandist hasn't popped into this thread already defending Mother Russia.
__________________
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Originally Posted by fotze
If this day gets you riled up, you obviously aren't numb to the disappointment yet to be a real fan.
Ha. For sure. Very manly. Acting like a teenager is the best way to show everyone you are a man.
On that note, how do women see these guys? Every woman (hell, every person) I know would consider these guys losers right off the bat. If you travel around and get in fights because of soccer (or any sport, or really any reason) then it's kind of obvious that you are a loser. I wonder how they are seen amongst regular Europeans.
Regular European here. How do you think they're viewed? They're considered knuckle dragging dickheads obviously.
__________________ "We are no longer living. We are empty of substance, and our head devours us. Our ancestors were more alive. Nothing separated them from themselves."
Besides the ultras there is a long tradition of gangs using these games to attack each other in many countries. Often a lot of the violence comes from poor areas that turn local football matches into mayhem.
I just watched another great youtube doc on the Rangers/Celtics rivalry. It was about far more than soccer and was actually a front for gangs. The Rangers fans will still sing songs about the "Billy Boys", which was a violent gang from the 1930s that was engaged in sectarian violence against Irish immigrants.
Ireland and Sweden fans were awesome today, lots of videos of them just happily singing along together, drinking and just having a great time. This is what it should be about.
I was at the fan zone at the Eiffel tower for the opening France/Romania game and can say that there were no issues between the fans. 90k drunk fans there and everyone just wanted to have a good time. Taking turns singing their Countries songs and just loving every second of it.
Now they are calling for a ban of alcohol near the fan zones. It's really sad that some low life hooligans are ruining the fun for everyone else.
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