A-League: Pressure on for Red and Black Bloc to face penalty after flares lit during derby win
The Wanderers have the wood over Sydney FC this season after they scored their second derby win of the year but the victory could be overshadowed by the lighting of flares by fans.
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Update: Pressure is growing for the Wanderers fans to face a penalty for the multiple flares lit at the derby on Friday night, threatening to cast a dark cloud over the victory against Sydney FC.
Other clubs are unhappy at the prospect of penalties being confined to the individuals behind the pyrotechnics at Jubilee Stadium, especially as one individual believed to be responsible for several of the flares has not yet been identified as a Wanderers member or active supporter.
Western Sydney are themselves investigating complaints from members of undue use of force by police, especially outside the venue at the end of the game, after video footage circulated on social media appearing to show confrontations between mounted police and unarmed fans.
The flares on Friday night followed more lit in the RBB section at the Wanderers’ W-League game against Melbourne City at Marconi Stadium on February 20, sparking fears that elements in the group are determined to resist the club’s demands that they abide by its “zero tolerance” stance.
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The process of identifying those who lit the flares is underway, but is likely to take days if not weeks.
Though there is some debate over exactly how many flares were lit at Jubilee Stadium, estimates range from six to eight inside the ground and several more outside after one of the Red and Black Bloc’s “capos”, or leaders, was evicted for allegedly standing on his seat.
The number is well short of the 25 flares and detonators that were set off at Marvel Stadium in a game against Melbourne Victory four years ago, and which led to a $50,000 fine and suspended three-point penalty for the club.
But it was the biggest show of dissent since then, and there is widespread annoyance that the flare issue has distracted from a sell-out night that restored much of the lost lustre to the derby, especially as Western Sydney’s late winner pushed them back into finals contention.
Police generally are understood to be happy with the overall outcome of the event, bar the flares, not least as the postponement of the game and change to a Friday night had
complicated plans to bring the RBB to the ground on one dedicated train from Parramatta.
But the fans themselves have lodged complaints with the club that police did not follow the so-called “escalation process” put in place to deal with incidents, including allegedly ejecting supporters for standing on seats without warning.
After police horses were used to direct a group of fans away from the stadium, as they lit flares in the street, video footage appears to show officers strike at least one fan.
“The club is currently compiling information relating to Friday’s Sydney Derby at Jubilee Stadium relating to the ignition of incendiary devices and issues relating to the unfair treatment of some of its members at the match,” a Wanderers spokesperson said.
“The club cannot make any comment on any alleged incidents until all information is processed.”
Originally published as A-League: Pressure on for Red and Black Bloc to face penalty after flares lit during derby win