Policing at Australian sport events has again come under scrutiny from fans, after three fan groups staged protests or walkouts related to alleged poor security measures.
Western Sydney
On Saturday, the Red and Black Bloc walked out of their derby with Sydney FC at just the 10th minute of the match. Fans online have suggested that the fan group left in protest of how some of their members were treated during the game by Police and Security. The Wanderers have since released a statement acknowledging the incident and committing themselves to conducting a full review.
Brisbane
On Sunday the Den walked out of their match against Melbourne Victory at the 25th minute. Fans online suggesting this was in protest of their treatment from Police and Security, especially during the fan group’s march to the stadium.
Macarthur
These two incidents follow issues at Macarthur FC. Following the collapse of a council stadium fence, the club’s fan group ‘The Bullpen’ has alleged that they have faced discriminatory and unwarranted attention from the Stadium and Security staff. This precipitated in a protest banner being held up at Macarthur’s recent home game against Melbourne City after their regular designated area was made unavailable for the game.
APL Follow Up
The APL has acknowledged incidents with a press statement that commits a full review. Although the acknowledgement is to be welcomed, it must also be noted that the issues largely lie with the Police, Stadiums and Clubs – not necessarily the league administrative body.
Following the incidents (and unsurprisingly the mainstream media reporting these incidents negatively), fans and administrators will no doubt be on heightened alert over the coming weeks. It will be hoped that the past couple of incidents are isolated events and doesn’t lead further failures of the management of stadium experiences.
Why are Australians not allowed to support their clubs?
Australia is a safe country with modern stadiums, but despite this Australians have not been able to enjoy many of the freedoms of other sport fans around the world.
Cynical supporters suggest that community engagement in the form of making banners and waving flags is seen by establishment bodies as some sort of threat. They can go as far as suggesting that the ultimate goal of overbearing security is not to keep fans safe, but rather to intimidate fans and eliminate these forms of active support. Supporting your club should not be struggle. It should not be some sort of exhausting and endless rebellion.
The APL has come out and said they are prioritising fan engagement, well, this is fan engagement. Fans engage with their clubs by singing songs, and crafting banners. They make friends with fellow supporters and celebrate together. Active supporters are engaged supporters, and they need to be protected.
Australians are not villains for supporting their teams and should not be made to feel like villains when attending games.
The Beautiful Game 