Dutch football hooligans trash Rome

Old Feb 20th, 2015, 03:40 AM
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Dutch football hooligans trash Rome

Over 6000 drunken Dutch Feyennoord "fans" rampaged through Rome for two days, trashing the Campo de'Fiori and the Piazza di Spagna, in the process knocking over parked motorcycles, throwing bottles, injuring 13 police officers, and urinating everywhere.

The worst damage was to Bernini's Fontana della Barcaccia, which had just been through an 11-month restoration. A 10-centimeter piece was broken from the rim, and there were other chips and scratches from thrown bottles.

The word "barbarians" is being used a lot in Rome newspapers today, and apologies are demanded, but there are also people calling for the heads of politicians who didn't manage to prevent this, especially since the rampage in Campo de'Fiori happened Wednesday night, and the destruction in Piazza di Spagna the following afternoon.
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Old Feb 20th, 2015, 03:59 AM
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Historically "barbarians" was the generic name given during the Empire to all peoples outside the Latin speaking world. In this context, barbarian is a suitable designation, in more than one sense of the word.
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Old Feb 20th, 2015, 04:36 AM
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Why is this always such a surprise to local authorities?

They know it is going to happen - why not simply contain it with riot police (shields and rubber bullets and tear gas - not real guns). Then convict them of riot and give them 30 days in jail - perhaps then they won't do it again in some other hapless country.
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Old Feb 20th, 2015, 05:05 AM
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well at least it wasn't brits this time. The dutch are always being held up as examples to our fans, which in this case would not be a good idea.

NYT - they may know that it's going to happen, [or may have been hoping like hell that the Campo dei Fiori incident was an isolated one] but possibly not where - and you can't cordon off the whole of the centre of Rome.

bvl - Barbarians indeed. Did they catch any of them?
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Old Feb 20th, 2015, 05:09 AM
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Disgusting! I hope Italy can prosecute some of them!
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Old Feb 20th, 2015, 05:32 AM
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Football/soccer is so wholesome in the US, this and the Paris metro incident perplexes.

I suppose it is all about binge drinking, which the UK and the Netherlands do particularly well, at least the youth.

http://www.ias.org.uk/uploads/images...pad2003-f5.jpg
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Old Feb 20th, 2015, 06:11 AM
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I am deeply saddened that this happened anywhere, and particularly Rome, but it is not unexpected. To quote the Daily Mail (not known for its love of football hooligans)

"Rome is notorious for its footballing violence, and has been the scene of bloodshed for Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and England fans in recent years."

I'm not going to pretend that all football fans are saints, but Feyenoord fans do have a bit of a reputation, and my experience of Italian police when faced with "hard" fans, is that they get their retaliation in early.

I've been a football fan nearly all my life. I've followed the same club through all four English divisions, watched domestic and european club games, been to International matches and even a World cup. The majority of fans are out to enjoy the game and possibly a little banter. I've attended games with among others, a Nasa scientist, university professors, an award winning screenwriter and with numerous civilised, educated people. It is such a shame that the game also attracts more than it's fair share of yobos, morons, yahoos and simply criminals.
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Old Feb 20th, 2015, 06:33 AM
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I've certainly known screenwriters who were capable of being drunken football louts or all around louts even when they were sober. Ditto university professors. Only NASA scientist I ever knew destroyed both his children with sadistic parenting, but might have been the pinnacle of civility at soccer matches.

Football hooliganism is tacitly supported by nearly everybody who thinks it adds some sass and fun to the game. Little element of danger and gladitorial masculine fun.

In fact, now that I think of it, the only soccer match I ever attended in England, at Arsenal, was in the company of several Oxford dons. One of them giggled uncontrollably everytime the "yobs" screamed obscenities at the opposing team. A lot of educated civilized people get off vicariously watching behavior they don't dare indugle in directly.

Anyway, hope the Roman police are better prepared next time or games are moved well out of reach of the historic city.
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Old Feb 20th, 2015, 08:44 AM
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The match was at the Olympic stadium, which is well away from the center. These louts came to Rome at least a day early in order to rampage. The game itself had no problems, and even the fans going to the game were well behaved, although there was a heavy police presence.

The city was expecting something of the sort, and had 1200 officers assigned to containing the damage, but according to news estimates, there were 6000 drunken hooligans, in large packs, roaming the center of Rome yesterday.

If I remember correctly, 25 were arrested.
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Old Feb 20th, 2015, 09:03 AM
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And in Spain they just riot and kill one of the opponents supporters.
http://deportes.elpais.com/deportes/...98_257196.html
football who needs it?
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Old Feb 20th, 2015, 09:35 AM
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Here's a photo of some of the worst damage to the Fontana della Barcaccia, a masterpiece by Bernini:

http://media.internazionale.it/image.../106016-md.jpg

It's worse than I had imagined. Some experts are saying it can't be repaired.

Maybe they'll have to put all of Rome's artistic treasures behind transparent panels, as they've had to do with the Pietà.
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Old Feb 20th, 2015, 09:36 AM
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American college campuses often experience the effects of binge drinking - especially after big wins - like at The Ohio State University on High Street every so often.

World Series titles or Super Bowl triumphs can also end in a drunk rampage - cars burned, etc.

Every year the Spring Something at Michigan State University ends in thousands of under age students binge drinking and setting fires to cars and trying to tip over even cop cars - a general mayhem.

It ain't a European thing - now in South America they do take it to new levels however.

I've seen Dutch soccer hooligans in action before - once after a big match at The Amsterdam Olympic Staidum I witnessed a group of younger folks board a tram and then try to rock it over - nearly succeeding bfore cops on horses arrive the shew them of and away.

It's not soccer that causes it it's beer - we have the same but since soccer is not our only big sport it just happens in many venues on college campuses - spring flings gone wild - a rite of spring almost.
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Old Feb 20th, 2015, 09:43 AM
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Manchester United victims of football violence in Rome? Don't make me laugh!
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Old Feb 20th, 2015, 10:36 AM
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A lot of the football violence in Italy doesn't involve drunkenness. It's more often extreme right-wing or extreme left-wing political excuses; I wouldn't deign to call it motivation.
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Old Feb 20th, 2015, 10:41 AM
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The University of Michigan is one of the top top handful of public universities in the U.S. and attracts a fairly wealthy student for undergrads - but just a few weeks ago several frats and sororities rented out some ski lodges up in northern Michigan and partied down, causing well over $100,000 in damages - probably due to binge drinking.

Young males are young males anywhere and with enough booze can turn into crazed animals.
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Old Feb 20th, 2015, 10:59 AM
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"Manchester United victims of football violence in Rome? Don't make me laugh!"

Are you really so pitiably ignorant of how racist louts in your adopted country behave?

Or are the repulsive chants, and near-psychotic violence, of Lazio supporters presented by Burlesque-oni's pathetic media as just what boys do?
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Old Feb 20th, 2015, 11:20 AM
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I'm sorry to say it, bvl, but italian fans are as capable as any others of mindless violence:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/italian-ultras-stabbing-tottenham-fans-1450423>>

i'm very sorry to see the damage to the Bernini fountain.
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Old Feb 20th, 2015, 11:58 AM
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Soccer brings out the worst in crowds and fans - what about when some England team lost in Turkey and blamed foul play for the defeat and then during matches in England the whole staidum or many started shouting:

"I'd rather be a Paki than a Turk" - wow - low blow and double damnation of two ethnic groups in merry old England - no wonder that England is a hotbed of Muslim alientation and can't assimilation the many Muslims they have into mainstream culture - resulting in reported (Murdoch) no go zones in Manchester and on Coronation Street even!

To me it seems all soccer-crazed nations have this problem - yes even the Dutch- the goody two shoes Dutch!
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Old Feb 21st, 2015, 01:03 AM
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I know there are violent louts in Italy. However, Manchester United is notorious and the idea of their being innocent victims of violence is risible.


Italy's football hooliganism is mostly domestic, and motivated by political extremism. They go after each other, sometimes in murderous ways, and some of them are crudely racist. I'm certainly not defending any of them.

Here is the image of stickers that Feyennord plastered on the walls of Rome:

http://www.repstatic.it/content/loca...e79ca24251.jpg

It shows the Capitoline wolf decapitated, by what I assume is supposed to be a brave Feyyenoord knight in armor. Since they obviously brought these stickers with them, it looks as though the whole thing were planned.
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Old Feb 21st, 2015, 04:02 AM
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actually, bvl, the ManU fans are by no means as notorious as they once were; Chelsea are presently at the top of the tree of infamy.

and it goes without saying that the vast majority of fans, even travelling ones, are going to want to avoid trouble not encounter it. Except perhaps in the case of Feyenoord - as you say, it looks as if it was planned.

Hopefully the club will be heavily fined.
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