Despite being the most advanced species on our planet, humans are a simple bunch. Fire excites, burning wood is captivating, and once a year almost every one of us heads to watch a bunch of things explode in the sky to celebrate surviving another 12 months.
So it only seems logical that a number of sports fans are drawn to the bright lights of flares.
Yet to the Australian police and mainstream media, the devices are akin to what the boats are, or were, to Tony Abbott.
They are to be feared, an alien force from another culture (South America is apparently to blame) that threatens to bring down Australian values. The prevalence of flares is an epidemic, they must be eradicated.
Stop the flares, the detractors scream, in multiple blazing headlines and through sensational media releases. Clearly one of the evils of society, flares pose a serious threat to our very existence – the silent killer hiding beneath a blanket of smoke.
Enough of the hyperbole, however.
It is a shame that this topic appears to be the overriding theme for discussion, again. There are many more worthy stories – the 40,000-plus crowd that turned up to Allianz Stadium, the Newcastle Jets’ fantastic victory over Melbourne Victory, or Perth Glory’s foreign imports finally imitating professional footballers.
Yet the consistent portrayal of the football world as neanderthal and problematic in the Australian media is getting tiresome.
John Duerden summed it best last week on The Roar when exploring the fear of flares and the existing disdain for football from some Australians.
“[There were] people who did not just not like football but seemed to like not liking football.”
This can be extended to sections of mainstream media and police.
I thought we had passed this stage, in recent years media coverage on football has definitely improved. Yet we are seeing a return to garbage journalism. The fear of football, not necessarily flares, has returned.
Play this report from Channel Seven on mute and it just looks like a good time, a passionate build-up to a Sydney derby. The voiceover suggests otherwise.
The Sydney Morning Herald‘s Tom Decent said the “overall behaviour of the crowd was unusually rowdy and violent”, though from most sources it was a cracking atmosphere with minor incident.
The reports stem from a NSW Police media release condemning the “anti-social behaviour” at the Sydney derby and announcing there had been 18 ejections from the stadium.
The trouble started, according to police, when about 50 Western Sydney fans rushed towards Sydney FC fans to start a “physical altercation” prior to kick-off. After the fracas was broken apart police “located a number of large bolts that are suspected to have been or were intended to be used as missiles, as well as a hammer, and a flare”.
That sounds intense, and is a concern, but a total of zero arrests were made. Why? It should be a reporter’s job to at least ask the question. Those looking to start fights before the game are the ones that should be prevented from entering the stadium.
Two men were arrested and charged, one for for possessing a flare, one for allegedly throwing a bottle at Sydney FC supporters. Another two were ejected for inciting violence.
A female supporter was ejected for invading the pitch, another two for offensive behaviour (that could be as little as swearing) and another eight for intoxication.
That does not sound like anything different from any other major sporting match, bar the flares. Only three of the 18 ejections could be defined as ‘crowd violence’.
The headline grabber, though, is the use of flares, which are illegal outside maritime use in Australia. The argument from most detractors is that it is illegal, and fair call.
But Australians love a bit of pyro. Suncorp Stadium sends up bursts of fire for the Brisbane Roar, the NRL grand final features fireworks, heck, rugby league goes all out for State of Origin.
The difference is that they are carried out in a safe environment, so perhaps flares can work under a controlled environment.
What if the A-League introduced pyro-friendly zones for the big games? Fenced off, so those who love inhaling a little smoke and staring into bright lights can have their fun.
The biggest danger that comes from using flares is when they are thrown, that’s when injuries become likely. Why are they thrown? Because users are threatened with lengthy bans, they are not going to hold onto that flare for long enough to get identified.
If a flare is held by one person, in a designated area, it could work. Couldn’t it?
There does not seem to be another immediate answer. The more police condemn the actions in their current manner, the less likely they are going to convince pyro-loving fans to change their ways.
Regardless of your stance on flares, the reaction has been overblown. Flares do not represent hooliganism, and they are not an example of crowd violence.
Paul
Guest
AR, people don't say they love speeding but the fact that state governments make a mint from speed cameras suggests that people don't mind a bit of lead foot. Sure, people die occasionally but that doesn't deter them. Try driving at the speed limit on any public road and expect to be tailgated and passed frequently. People who use cocaine love it, again they just don't want to say it out loud. If people didn't love cocaine, Border Force wouldn't be seizing it so much at Sydney Airport.
Justin Thighm
Roar Guru
So you were at the game and saw people being hit with lighted flares? You probably don't even live in Sydney. I was there and didn't see any trouble as reported by the press. Their stories are written days before the game and are trotted out after every derby game.
pioneer
Guest
Not sure how anyone can even sideways suggest that setting off a flare at a sporting match is anything other than a very, very bad thing. I know it's been an unfortunate and seemingly permanent feature of soccer (I use the traditional/original name to avoid confusion with all the other football codes) for a long period, but it's an awful, awful look. Poor old A League, it can't take a trick; it's either struggling with empty grandstands or, when there is a big crowd, flares being let off and/or drama between opposing (moronic) fans.
marron
Roar Guru
In case you hadn't noticed this article is about the media reaction. Because there is a strange lack of evidence about the brawl. Not one piece of footage or any arrests despite it supposedly going for 10 minutes and being attended by officers in the vicinity of the march. Even the police weren't clear about where the bolts etc were found. So I'm not sure where you got that from. But perhaps you have an answer as to your question as to why it's not a bigger deal - it didn't happen. Again with the seats... amazing what becomes fact. Ripped out. Yeah. Flares are ripped at NRL matches without blanket coverage or enquiries. So you have your answer for if it happened there. Over extensions of crowd numbers? Be careful there mate.
We've got a live one
Guest
So it's a crime and illegal to do. Thanks for your conformation Marcel.
Martyn50
Guest
Why isn't the disgraceful behaviour of the A League Sydney Wanders being discussed in the news or in the paper. 50 of them started a street brawl 18 evicted from the game 3 charged so far. Flare's on the field huge nuts and bolts found on supporters in their pockets to be used as missiles. Chairs and seats ripped out of their footings at the Sydney football Stadium. Where is the Soccer CEO David Gallop. this is a joke. If this was the NRL it would be over all the papers and a full enquiry to all areas of the matter. Who is doing the cover up on the A League similar to the over extensions of crowd numbers is ridiculous.
Happy Hooker
Guest
Throwing a bottle. Inciting violence. That's what the arrests were for. Then there were the evictions. if you don't think that constitutes anti-social behaviour, you're part of the problem.
Horto Magiko
Roar Rookie
Mister football "How was I to know that soccer’s persecution complex runs so deep" Haha. Who is "soccer" exactly? "Soccers persecution complex"... Do you mean "soccer fans"? You've just stated ad nauseam that you're a soccer fan right? But you don't feel that "your" sport or you as a person, has ever been persecuted due to your involvement/support of the game? Sounds like we have a self contradicting fake "soccer" fan on our hands here guys.
AR
Guest
Reports emerging that David Gallop is so concerned about flare use at games he is lobbying the Vic and NSW Govts on behalf of the FFA to change legislation in order to make it harder to buy flares, with greater penalties for using them. Of course, he's just another sockah-hater who is in the pocket of the anti-football media.
Towser
Guest
MelbCro Not hard to fathom for me, I followed and attended the NSL for the 27 years of its existence so I see your point, about flares and Australian football fan culture. However flares were never acceptable then as they aren't now in Aussie sport, that has never changed.
sticks
Roar Rookie
#childish beyond belief.
spruce moose
Guest
In outbursts of violence? Yes they are champ. You are naive to think otherwise.
The artist formerly known as Punter
Guest
Well unfortunately, you'd have to blame your daddy for your poor education.
sticks
Roar Rookie
The truth is obviously to much for you to handle.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
marron I see where you are coming from, equally, these sorts of things appear to go in threes quite often, so you can't blame the media for conflating the lot. You might view this as simplistic, but if a cohort is willing to conduct an illegal act such as smuggling in and ripping a flare, with its obvious disregard for public safety, the jump to other illegal acts such as demolishing seats is not that big a leap (to be honest, the public is unlikely to buy any story suggesting that the seats were all broken en masse by accident).
marron
Roar Guru
And I say again mf, It's not ridiculous to point out that the things aren't related, or point out that they are exaggerated, or fanciful. These things enter the narrative. Assumptions are made - like you did with the seats. That's far more of note to me - the insidious way the stories shift and bend - than flares ripped in areas where most people don't actually care, or than seats that can't take weight, or than mysterious brawls that nobody has seen. I don't expect things not to be reported. I would, perhaps naively, hope that when they were, proper investigations were done; that the reporting doesn't sensationalize with unrelated imagery or generalizations. I personally don't believe that at the first hint of wrong doing then misrepresentations or untruths or a lack of journalistic standards are fine.
Marcel
Guest
www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-pedestrians-stroll-straight-into-police-jaywalking-sting-20151014-gk9k5a.html
CBR
Guest
Nix fans should throw some flares next home game.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
marron The point remains, if you have flares (many flares), with violent confrontations between rival fans, and damaged stadium seating, I don't care what the sport is, the media will report it (although as it happens, these three things only seem to happen simultaneously at soccer games - and I say that to you as a long time soccer fan).
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Bondy I don't really keep up with Gil's utterances day-to-day, so I will have to take your word for it. I will say this, I am a long term soccer fan, going back to when my dad would take me to Juventus games in the early 1970s, and even as an immigrant with broken English, he called it soccer.