Uprooted seats, an attempt to set fire to the sector and even throwing cups of urine

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FC Viktoria files a criminal complaint due to the behavior of Slavia fans during Sunday’s match

Sunday’s match of the ninth round of the Fortuna League between Pilsen and Slavia, which took place in the Doosan Arena in Pilsen, has a sad ending, when the police will eventually have to deal with it. FC Viktoria not only objected to the allegation that visiting fans were needlessly and gratuitously harassed during entrance checks, but also announced that it would file a criminal complaint in connection with the events at the stadium due to the behavior of Slavia fans. According to the club management, the guests not only demolished the sector and wanted to intentionally set it on fire, but were supposed to throw screws and nuts from broken seats and cups with beer and even urine into other parts of the stand!

Statement of FC Viktoria Plzeň:

FC Viktoria Plzeň has decided to respond to a number of false information that appeared after Sunday’s league match with Slavia, which Viktoria won unequivocally 3:0. At the same time, he files a criminal complaint against an unknown perpetrator for causing damage exceeding CZK 200,000.

At the outset, it is necessary to recall the facts from the previous visits of Slavia Praha fans to Štruncové sady, which are always evaluated as high-risk by all components. It was no different in April 2022. After this match, we dealt with damage in the away fans’ sector in the form of seats being ripped out and various objects being set on fire.

Based on this experience from the past and information about another high risk, the security department of the club, in cooperation with all components ensuring the safety of fans at the stadium, came to the decision that there must be an increase in personal searches before entering, which also includes a shoe search. According to our information, this procedure is nothing exceptional in the Czech Republic or abroad, and our supporters encounter it in a number of stadiums.

However, even these strict inspections did not reveal everything. Right at the start of Sunday evening, it was necessary to deal with an incident when the visiting fans tried to break through the fire doors, through which they would have reached the sectors intended for home fans (the result can be seen in the photo). This was prevented by the quick response of the organizing service. Subsequently, paper banners were pasted over the Plexiglas in the guest sector, which was prohibited for security reasons and we informed the visiting club in advance of this fact. In the tenth minute, pyrotechnics were used.

At the half-time break we were informed of the planned arson of the entire sector, as away fans collected and distributed toilet paper rolls and then really set fire to them and other flammable materials. Since there was also more ripping out of seats and throwing of nuts, bolts and other fasteners into other sectors, the police considered intervention. A serious situation arose and there was a threat to the health of the visitors and damage to the stadium. The incident did not occur only thanks to the quick reaction and intervention of the firemen (seats were thrown at the fireman who was on the ladder). The organizing service was subsequently forced to transfer Viktoria fans, including families with children, to other sectors and parts of the stadium in order to protect them and avoid serious injuries, and to avoid, for example, cups being doused with beer and urine.

Total damages in the guest sector were calculated at a sum exceeding CZK 200,000.

On the basis of this indisputable evidence, the club decided to file a criminal complaint against the unknown perpetrator in order to be able to subsequently recover the damages incurred.

Club FC Viktoria Plzeň and Doosan Arena have long been very positively evaluated for the exemplary organization of matches within the framework of European cups (UEFA) or international matches (FAČR) and the exemplary cooperation of all security forces in ensuring order and safety at the stadium. Fans of visiting clubs are always welcome, provided they behave themselves of course. In the vast majority of cases, they contribute to the right football atmosphere in our stadium. However, the behavior of the fans of the visiting club on Sunday was definitely not one of those cases.

FC Viktoria Plzeň would like to take this opportunity to thank all the security and rescue services, which helped to deal with the serious situation that arose with their activity and quick response. Protecting the health of fans and property will continue to be a clear priority for us. We definitely do not consider this attitude of ours to be a “little thing” of the club.

We reported on what happened before the match in the article:

Football through the eyes of the police

In the early evening of Sunday, the police were supervising the progress of the football match, in which the teams FC Viktoria Plzeň and SK Slavia Praha played against each other in the Doosan Arena.

As usual, the police officers from the law enforcement, traffic and criminal police focused on ensuring the calmest possible situation in the territory of Pilsen before the start of the football match, during it and after it ended. Police officers from the anti-conflict team were also involved in the security measure, who accompanied the fans to the stadium and back, policemen on horses were also deployed, and a drone monitored the situation around the stadium.

The whole event went without problems or more serious illegal acts, the police only had to intervene before the start of the match in Nádražní Street, where there was a threat of a clash between home fans and fans of the visiting club. What happened is clearly visible in the video, but the police separated the two camps and the march to the stadium continued.

Photo: KP, PČR, FC Viktoria