Soccer fans catch hooligan
By Allen Khumalo
POLICE have praised fans for apprehending and handing over a hooligan who threw a missile during the Highlanders and Dynamos Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.
Fletcher Ndlovu (22) of Entumbane suburb was apprehended by fans in the southern stand of the stadium after he threw a water bottle onto the pitch while protesting a linesman’s decision against Highlanders.
Bulawayo provincial deputy police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said he is happy that football fans took heed of the anti-hooliganism calls by stakeholders in the run-up to the match.
“I can confirm having a case of a man who threw a water bottle onto the pitch during Sunday’s match. That man was attended to by supporters who were sitting at Empankweni (southern) stand. Police saw fans shoving him (Ndlovu) around and later on handed him to the police. He was arrested and detained at Barbourfields Police Post,” said Insp Ncube.
He thanked fans for displaying a spirit of oneness and working with the police against unruly behaviour during matches.
“We realised that supporters have zero tolerance to violence and they heeded the anti-hooliganism campaigns by the police and other stakeholders. Despite our calls, this man did the exact opposite of what we wanted, so the public worked well with the police.
Fans showed that they have gone above all the politics of football and as the police we are confident that we are now swimming in the same pool with the public as far as anti-hooliganism is concerned.”
Insp Ncube however, appealed to fans to avoid taking the law into their own hands when dealing with rowdy supporters.
He said people should just hand over such people to the police.
Bosso and DeMbare matches have previously been marred by violence, with last year’s encounter ending prematurely in the 41st minute at Barbourfields Stadium when crowd trouble erupted following a controversial Dynamos equaliser. The Chronicle.
