Wanderers fans in spotlight again after flares lit at Sydney derby
Pressure is growing for Western Sydney fans to face a penalty for the multiple flares lit at the derby on Friday night.
Pressure is growing for Western Sydney 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 the undue use of force by police, especially outside the venue at the end of the game,
The complaints were fuelled by video footage that 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 were determined to resist the club’s demands that they abide by a “zero tolerance” stance.
The process of identifying those who lit the flares is under way, but it could take weeks.
Though there is debate over just 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 annoyance that the flare issue has distracted from a sellout 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 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 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.
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