Giant Stadium Security and the Failure of MLS Management - Pt II

I thought the bottle-throwing was in dispute, though there was an admission of an upwards beer spill.

In any case, throwing people out of a game for asking questions or taking photos of security in action is simply chilling. That's not supposed to happen in this country.

 

You are correct. I saw a bottle come from the section. While I was frustrated with the situation, as well, throwing bottles (plastic or otherwise) is unacceptable in any circumstance.

 

Yup, definitly a bottle thrown, definitly hit its intended target. I have no idea who tossed it, but it certainly was not the guy who was tossed out for throwing it.

 

Precisely! Same thing with the flare. Somebody shoulda got tossed, just make sure it's the right somebody.

 

There is no doubt a bottle was thrown at security. I believe the very idea of throwing Charlotte out was so outrageous that it temporarily got out of control. I saw the bottle hit the security guy. I only saw it because I was watching them remove Charlotte and I was in complete and utter shock. I knew there was no way in a million years Charlotte did anything to deserve to be thrown out of a game. The whole situation put me on edge.

But the original "bottle" guy was thrown out for throwing a beer (not bottle) in the air. Which he didn't do anyway. His bro admitted to being the "guilty" party in that incident.

RBNY 1:4 DCU

 

Yes. Someone did indeed throw a bottle. From what I've read, it came from the second or third row. The yellow jackets couldn't pinpoint exactly who threw it, but wanted to take someone in regardless.

 

Flare? There was a smoke bomb; where in the world did you see a flare?

 

While not my first time at GS, it was my first time for a DC United match. I want to take a different approach to my post.

We as United fans are used to being treated poorly by stadium security. We know going into this that security was going to be ready to pounce on anyone and everyone if provoked, and ONE amongst us provoked the beast. That's all it takes. R&B, Deko, Gocaps, K, all knew what NJSEA, MLS and RB had in store for us, and they told us up front what to expect. We also know that DCU fans who travel to GS and the NJSEA security people have a bad history. While I think we can be dismayed, upset, and downright angry we should not be surprised at the actions and the brutality we experienced this past weekend.

I for one will not let the events of last weekend deter me from heading up the road to cheer on my team. Because the minute we as United fans stop showing up to GS, THEY WIN, and our team loses. We had the best damn fans in the league, in pouring rain, despite the Nazi like behavior of the NJSEA, we went into their house, brought it louder then their fans, heard our chants echoing off the cavernous walls of Giant Stadium, and walked away a little bruised, battered, and drenched with a 4-1 victory.

Don't let these thugs win, a lot of times here on BigSoccer we talk about action, well if Riz wants to help organize a media campaign to air our story in the press, I'm all for it, and I'll give my time, and energy to assist in any way possible.

VAMOS UNITED!

 

It had to have come from somewhere in the second row, it flew right past my elbow and barely cleared the rail before hitting the security guy. They were just looking for someone to toss. At one point you could tell the guy "in charge" was suggesting kicking out the entire first row simply because they didn't have any idea who threw the bottle. Maybe had they not been so busy harrassing everyone else they could have actually done their job and taken care of the people who really did do something wrong.

Of course, these guys are clearly not very well trained in the art of crowd control. The number one rule is to not get involved unless there was a clear violation and you know who did it. Then, you go in with as little force as needed and bring that person out. You don't go charging in with five guys, having no idea who did what and start grabbing people. This is a lesson that has been learned over and over again and I have no idea why some of these rent-a-cops think the best method is brute force and ignorance.

 

What would be the goal of such a "media campaign? Public awareness? Without video that clearly shows misbehavior on the part of security officials, I can't imagine how such an effort would help, and I can easily see how it would actually hurt. Face it: in a you say/they say sort of situation, very few are going to take the word of a bunch of people they perceive as "soccer hooligans" over the word of security personnel. Instead, people will hear about a problem that happened and think "those damn soccer fans again" and have even worse opinions of us than they already do. Maybe we don't care about that. But in that case, again, what is the point of the "media campaign"? Shaming MLS/NJSEA? If the public thinks we're likely to be at fault, then that perception is the one MLS/NJSEA will want to respond to.

 

I've been reading these thread(s) with a mixture of bemusement and horror, and I must say, that nothing will make a difference without a lawsuit.

It's that simple. Until the goons do something with enough physical evidence to allow for a lawsuit that affects the deep pockets of New Jersey, there will be no change.

Why do you think they erase pictures and harrass photographers? They know as well as I do that without photos or video, there is no reason to change them.

Do you think that with 8,000 people in the stands that anyone cares to hire (and pay for) well-trained crowd-controlling graduates?

 

Word! The La Norte fellow they took out for the smoke bomb didn't do it. He was standing next to me singing wtih the La Norte guys behind him. The smoke bomb came from the row in front of us. Everyone was wondering where Red Bull was since DC and refs were on the field waiting for the the introductions and National Anthem, then a smoke bomb.

 

My bad, I meant smokebomb.

 

Precisely. The look on the La Norte guys face when they took him was one of utter shock, considering the smoke bomb went off three rows in front of him. Good on him for not resisting. There's nothing you can do. Do we know if he got processed and let out or charged with a crime?

 

He got on the bus and made it home with the people he came up with.

 

Did everyone make it back alright? From what I understand, some of us got bans and some didn't, for basically the same offense. I got banned for flippin' the bird, but it seems like others just got taken out and let back in? Maybe it's because the guy who got his knickers in a twist in my case was particularly sensitive. Honestly, it was just him and one of the others who helped him blindside me and pretty much run me down the steps who were being goonish. Everyone else I talked to seemed kinda embarassed that I had been taken out for something so petty. Feh, I could care less about the ban - I go there twice a year to watch DC games, that's all. And barring them checking my id at the gate, which they never do, all I have to do is not get in trouble again when I'm there. To which end I'll keep my fingers jammed into my pockets. DCAustinite can put a straw in my beer for me.

 

i don't exactly know. stephen warned them (MLS NYRB) that this would likely happen and no one listened to him. i've tried to not involve them in my inquries with NJSEA, MLS and RBNY, this really isn't their responsibility and they did all they could to work with them before this mess happened. this is something for us (eagles/barra) to handle.