Lighting fireworks during football matches is prohibited throughout Europe
Police arrested 22 people in connection with the violence that broke out on May 27 during the Kyiv Dynamo and Donetsk Shakhtar football match. The clash between fans and riot police occurred after Dynamo scored its first goal against the miners.
Several capital city supporters lit torches and smoke bombs in celebration, but the fire drew the ire of Berkut troops who swarmed through the stands. The episode lasted about 20 minutes, according to eyewitnesses. Police said they arrested only the most violent hooligans, who, if convicted, could face up to 15 days behind bars. Dynamo won the match 2:1.
The vice president of Dynamo FC criticized the Berkut troops on May 29. Vadym Kostiuchenko said that “100 to 300 people were beaten for an administrative violation committed by three to five people.” He said that “Berkut beat fans, including youths and girls” and that the police “exceeded their authority, which led to massive disorder in the stands. I saw this with my own eyes as I was close to the fans.” Kostiuchenko said that police would not tell him who gave the order to swarm the stands.
Lighting fireworks during football matches is prohibited throughout Europe, but the measures authorities use to enforce compliance are less severe in other countries. In Germany, for example, fans will be warned over stadium loudspeakers and by referees that their team will face a fine if the flames are not extinguished.
The Ultras Dynamo fan club, a part of the football club’s operations, began offering free legal assistance to fans who were beaten. On May 30, the fan club said six people who were injured, including a 16-year-old girl, turned to the club for legal assistance. The club is also considering filing a collective claim on behalf of all the injured fans.
Donetsk fans were better behaved. Reportedly, 20,000 traveled from the eastern coal city on 300 buses and nine trains to support their team. The football violence during the 2007 Ukraine Cup was described by the media as the worst the country has seen in the last five years.
