The Mestis match between Tuto and the Jokers was interrupted for more than an hour due to a smoke bomb. Kannatajayhdistys Eteläpääty and Jokerit published their position on the case.
12.10. 17:47•Updated 12.10. 20:17
The ice hockey Mestis match in Turku between Tuto and the Jokerires had just over a minute to play when a smoke bomb went off in the Jokerires fan end. Before then Samu Markkula had taken Tuto into the lead at 30 seconds.
Greenish smoke spread and fire alarms started going off.
– Now let’s hope we don’t have to empty the hall. That smoke statue isn’t moving anywhere, MTV Katsomo narrator Jani Säteri regretted.
Säteri stated that the smoke will still be in the roof of the hall “next Midsummer”. That’s how hard it got dusty in the hall.
The jury directed the players to the locker rooms.
– A pellet in the yard! someone would roar from the stands in the direction of the Jokerit fans.
– The Jokeriten Fanikatsomo will be emptied by the police, it was announced in the hall.
The audience responded with applause.
Later, Kuulutus said that the hall will be ventilated and the match will continue when the troublemakers have been taken out.
Identification
When the match, which started at 5 p.m., had already been suspended for 45 minutes, there was still a crowd sitting in the Jokerit stand. The smoke had dissipated, but it was still visible on the ceiling. The atmosphere was expectant.
At 6 p.m., the players returned to the ice and began a seven-minute warm-up.
– Even though it was announced that the Jokerites’ Fanikatsomo would be emptied, apparently it has been understood that they are not going anywhere, narrator Säteri said with a laugh.
CEO of Tuto Kimmo Hollmé told For Sanomathat one torchbearer had been identified by video and removed from the hall. Thus, not all Jokerit supporters were removed.
For Iltalehti the CEO said that the police will investigate the case, and Tuto will file a criminal complaint.
Around 18:10 the match was able to continue.
The Jokers and Eteläpääty judge
Jokerite supporters’ association Eteläpääty ry quickly published its position.
– Eteläpääty is not responsible for the events in the stands at Kupitta. The association has distributed loose tickets to joker supporters who have not been on the association’s trip. We will not continue this practice.
Jokerit also published during the match position statement about the case. Jokerit wrote that the activity in question endangers the safety of spectators, players and everyone working in the hall.
– We have zero tolerance for this kind of behavior, and we want to apologize on behalf of our entire community. Although we are really happy about the passion and support of our fans, this operating model is not the right way to encourage, chairman Mikko Saarni states.
Follow the results of Mestis matches from this link.