Soccer fans riot outside Melbourne pub ahead of A-League clash between Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers.
TWO men have been charged over a violent brawl which saw rogue soccer fans throw chairs and set off flares outside a CBD pub ahead of Saturday night's A-League clash between Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers.
The men, both from New South Wales, have been banned from attending any further events at Melbourne's Etihad Stadium and AAMI Park under a police crackdown against rebel soccer supporters.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Andrew Crisp warned more arrests would follow as investigators continued to trawl through "very good CCTV footage" provided to police from "a number of different sources".
Two men have been charged after soccer fans started rioting in the CBD yesterday. Source: News Limited
"There will be other people where we will come knocking on your door," Mr Crisp said.
"So I suggest rather than us come knocking on your door you approach us."
Footage of the clash has emerged, showing rioters pelting each other with rocks and other debris as fights break out in the city street.
Some even try to hit each other with metal bars as the clash turns into an all-out brawl.
A 23-year-old New South Wales man has been charged over the pub brawl with conduct endangering serious injury, discharging a missile and possessing cannabis.
A 29-year-old New South Wales man has also been charged with conduct endangering injury for actions inside the ground during the game.
Both men have been bailed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on April 14.
"Very strict bail conditions have been put in place because we do take this extremely seriously," Mr Crisp.
Western Sydney Wanderers fans let off flares during the game. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Source: Getty Images
"They are banned from attending any events whatsoever at Etihad (Stadium) and AAMI (Park)."
A-League head Damien De Bohun said the league had been "very happy" with the behaviour of fans so far this season.
But he dubbed yesterday's incident "unacceptable".
"We have a very clear process in place of banning individuals who have behaved inappropriately," Mr De Bohun said.
"There are already people identified and there will be a number of people who are removed from all football matches right across the country very quickly, and we won't hesitate to do that."
Dozens of Western Sydney fans were drinking at Bourke St's Royal Melbourne Hotel when they clashed with a group of Victory supporters at 3.40pm.
The riot moved to the street, where flares were set off, chairs from outside the pub were thrown and glasses were smashed.
Four people were injured in the clash, including a man in his early 20s who was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with an upper-body injury.
He was released a short time later.
Soccer fans @Melbourne Victory v Western Sydney Wanderers .Wanderers fans walking towards AAMI Stadium in Melbourne . Source: HeraldSun
At least 200 Western Sydney fans then marched along the Yarra and Swan St to AAMI Park with a heavy police escort, chanting "F--- the Victory" and giving the finger to passing Melbourne fans on the way.
Late in the game, five flares were ignited, resulting in a large part of the stadium being engulfed by orange smoke.
"At the same time, and something quite new that we haven't seen here in Melbourne, there were a number of ... extremely loud firecrackers discharged," Mr Crisp said.
Security surrounded the fans as one of the flares landed close to the field of play.
Several Western Sydney supporters were ejected from their seats by police and security guards as Melbourne fans chanted "Go home" and "F--- off Sydney".
Another flare was set off after the match as Victory fans celebrated a late equaliser which sealed a 1-1 result.
They chanted in the concourse behind the grandstands as police formed a line to separate and then push them away from where Western Sydney fans were exiting the stadium.
Wanderers fans walking towards AAMI Stadium in Melbourne. Source: News Limited
A worker at the Royal Melbourne Hotel said she saw the crowd "rioting down the street" when she arrived at work on Saturday afternoon and said it was "enormous".
Mr Crisp said it was important to remember that majority of the 22,000-strong crowd, which contained about 1400 Wanderers fans, behaved themselves.
"More than 22,000 people were at the game last night, had a great night out, a fantastic night's entertainment in terms of the football itself," he said.
"It is disappointing, however, when a few idiots, whether it be the incident pre-game or during the game engage in behaviour which actually outs significant other people at risk."
The Assistant Commissioner also noted that this was the first time flares had been smuggled into a Melbourne soccer venue this A-League season.
He urged anyone who knew someone involved in yesterday's chaos to contact the Melbourne Criminal Investigation Unit through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestoppers.com.au.
"You can't defend the indefensible," he said.
samantha.landy@news.com.au
No comments:
Post a Comment