Suek’s investigation reveals that keeping troublemakers out of match events is practically impossible in Finland. Only the police have the power to order a match to be played in empty stands.
Vesa Marttinen,
Simo Arkko
11:04•Updated 14:26
The local struggle of Helsinki in the Veikkausliiga made headlines on Monday night due to the disruptive behavior of the spectators.
The supporters of HIFK, in their own end, lit up the fire of HJK’s fan sheet. In the other end, HJK’s supporters, on the other hand, destroyed the advertising fences on the side of the field and tried to rush onto the field. From the pictures, it became clear that many of those who tried to go to the field had balaclava on their heads.
The fight had to be stopped for about seven minutes. During the stoppage, a large group of policemen in riot gear and several police dogs arrived on the field.
We asked both clubs for an interview on the subject, but the clubs did not give an interview. CEO of HJK Aki Riihilahti forwarded the club’s statement by email. HJK considers “disorders to be extremely regrettable”.
– The entire HJK club community would have deserved that yesterday would have been a sporting day of joy. We won the domination of Stadi and got to the top of the league. Instead, it’s mainly a sad feeling that a small group branded all football fans with their completely reprehensible behavior, reads the HJK’s statement.
According to HJK, it is sad that the reputation of the entire stand and the club community is tarnished. HJK says that it will continue discussions with the authorities, security personnel, the Football Association, the Veikkausliiga and its supporters, so that something like this does not happen.
– The kind of disruptive behavior that we unfortunately had to experience yesterday is not defending one’s own club, but rather an attack against one’s own club, and in no case does it belong in a football match or any other sporting event. The field is a sacred place, and no one outside the game has any business there.
CEO of Veikkausliiga Timo Marjamaa eliminate disruptive behavior in the match event.
– They don’t understand that football is a common sport and it belongs to everyone. You can’t take it hostage and do whatever you want. Yes, it is very unfortunate that a certain group wants to do things completely regardless of what others are doing, says Marjamaa.
The police arrested 11 people during the match and another 24 people afterwards. The police also confiscated about a hundred pieces of pyrotechnics.
– Attempts have been made to block and prevent it (disruptive behavior) in many different ways. It’s really painful that individual characters are still able to run their own show around it, Marjamaa purns.
The story continues after the picture and video.
According to Marjamäki, the challenge is that, unlike elsewhere, there is no legislation in Finland that would allow individuals to be permanently banned from entering.
The Finnish Sports Ethics Center published a report on Monday, according to which the current legislation in Finland does not recognize the concept of a gate ban.
Having prepared the report Janne Ripatin according to the curfew system in Finland cannot be implemented contractually within the framework of fundamental rights regulations, the Act on Assemblies and the Act on Private Security Services
According to Marjamaa, even handing out curfews would not necessarily help.
– In any case, you can buy tickets and come to the game through gate sales. This has its own challenges, how to get the most enthusiastic savages out of there, says Marjamaa.
The disciplinary committee of the Finnish Football Association has often fined clubs for disruptive behavior by supporters. Marjamaa emphasizes that the decision is a disciplinary one. He estimates that the amount in this case is thousands of euros.
The police issue event permits. According to Marjamaa, it is up to the authorities whether a club could have to play in empty stands in the Veikkausliiga.
Chief Commissioner of the Helsinki Police Jarmo Heinonen estimates that there are few means available to avoid similar situations. The starting point is that at public events, the organizer is responsible for ensuring that things run safely.
– In such cases, various national solutions have been sought, such that if the spectators do not stay disciplined, games are played to empty stands, for example. Probably everyone’s wish, however, would be that everyone could enjoy such significant sporting events, says Heinonen.
According to Heinonen, the police always visit before the matches, there are discussions with the organizers about how to prepare for known threats. This is how it will also be done for the Europa League match between HJK and Real Betis on Thursday.
The story was completed on September 6, 2022 at 2:12 p.m.: HJK’s statements were added.