Sports riot

A sports riot is a riot that occurs during or after sporting events. Sports riots occur worldwide.[1][2] Most riots are known to occur after the event is done, but some have been during the game (see football hooliganism.) Whilst football (soccer) is one of the more well-known triggers for riots, other sports which have triggered riots include ice hockey[3] and motorcycle racing.[1] There are a number of factors believed to influence whether riots occur, including cultural factors; environmental factors such as temperature, darkness, and noise; and witnessing player violence.[1]

Examples

A rioter stands on a car during the 2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup riot

The following are various examples of a sports riot:

Riot name	Date	Description
Nika riots[4]	AD 532	In what is known to be one of the first forms of sports rioting, supporters of the chariot racing team, Greens, revolted against the Byzantine Empire's leader and supporter of the Greens' rival Blues, Justinian. At least half of the Empire's capital of Constantinople (now Istanbul) was burned by the rioters, and 30,000 people were killed.
1909 Scottish Cup Final	April 17, 1909	After the Scottish Cup ended in a tie, instead of going into extra time, an angry crowd invaded the pitch and tore down the goalposts, as well as attacking the mounted police, resulting in over 100 injuries.
Johnson-Jeffries riots[5]	July 4, 1910	After African-American boxer Jack Johnson defeated the "Great White Hope" James J. Jeffries in the "Fight of the Century", race riots erupted in dozens of U.S. cities.
Richard Riot[6]	March 17, 1955	After the suspension of Montreal Canadiens great Maurice Richard, angry fans wrought havoc in Montreal, and Richard had to make a public appeal to end the riot.
The Roosevelt Raceway Riot	November 8, 1963	In an evening race at the former Roosevelt Raceway racetrack in Westbury, New York, two horses finished following a mid-race crash. The race was declared official, and it angered the 23,127 fans in attendance that night, setting off a riot. The fans were throwing bottles and other debris, and then jumping over the railing, smashing the tote board, followed by them attacking a judges booth. Finally, the fans set fires, as arriving firemen set their hoses on the rioters to push them back. 15 people were treated for injuries. [7]
1964 Lima football riot	May 24, 1964	In the worst riot in association football history, the host Peru was losing to Argentina, and before the game ended, the fans ultimately rioted, and the police fired tear gas into the crowd, as well as padlocking the gates, leading to 318 deaths, with many from asphyxia.
Båstad riots	May 3, 1968	Demonstrators protested the participation of Rhodesia and South Africa in the Davis Cup, which led to intervention from the Swedish Police.
1971 South Africa rugby union tour of Australia	1971	In South Africa's tour, anti-apartheid groups protested, resulting in a state of emergency in Queensland, leading to 700 people being arrested.
Ten Cent Beer Night	June 4, 1974	Ten Cent Beer Night was a promotion held by Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians during a game against the Texas Rangers at Cleveland Stadium on Tuesday, June 4, 1974. The idea behind the promotion was to attract more fans to the game by offering 12 U.S. fl oz (354.9 ml) cups of 3.2% beer for just 10 cents each (regular price was 65 cents) with a limit of six per purchase.[8] During the game, fans became heavily intoxicated, culminating in a riot in the ninth inning.
Disco Demolition Night	July 12, 1979	Disco Demolition Night was an ill-fated baseball promotion that took place on July 12, 1979, at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois. At the climax of the event, a crate filled with disco records was blown up on the field between games of the twi-night doubleheader between the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers. Many of those in attendance had come to see the explosion rather than the games and rushed onto the field after the detonation. The playing field was damaged both by the explosion and by the rowdy fans to the point where the White Sox were required to forfeit the second game of the doubleheader to the Tigers.
1981 South Africa rugby union tour of New Zealand	1981	10 years after the controversial tour of Australia, South Africa began its tour of New Zealand, and like the '71 tour, South Africa became an international pariah due to its apartheid law. Protestors eventually revolted and broke into the country stadiums before and during games, leading to 2 of the games being cancelled.
Detroit 1984 World Series Riot	1984	After the Detroit Tigers' World Series victory over the San Diego Padres in 1984, riots broke out that killed one person and left 80 injured and eight rapes reported. Millions of dollars in property damage including a burned squad car and taxi. Rocks and glass bottles were reportedly thrown at police who were wearing riot gear.[9]
Aggieville Riots	1984 1986	In 1984 and 1986, after 2 college football games between rivals Kansas State and Kansas, a group of 6,000 celebrating KSU fans, after a 24–7 victory, crowded into a bar, and eventually became rowdy, and initiated a riot. 2 years later, after KSU once again defeated KU, this time 29–12, another group of 6,000 KSU fans, this time wearing "Riotville" shirts, rioted again, and also torched a Volkswagen Beetle.
19 May incident	May 19, 1985	In Workers Stadium, rioting Chinese fans were silenced by the People's Armed Police.
1986 Montreal Stanley Cup riot[6]	1986	After the Canadiens won the finals, fans took to the streets to celebrate, and ended up rioting.
1990 Detroit riot	June 15, 1990	Widespread rioting occurred in Detroit after the Detroit Pistons won the 1990 NBA Finals. Eight people were killed.
Chicago Bulls Championship riots	1991-1997	Rioting and looting occurred in Chicago after the Chicago Bulls won the NBA Finals in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996 and 1997
1993 Montreal Stanley Cup riot	June 9, 1993	A year before the riot in Vancouver, Montreal experienced a riot shortly after their Canadiens defeated the Los Angeles Kings in the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, as victory celebrations mutated into unrest. In the epicenter of the riots, Ste. Catherine St., stores were looted and police cars were set on fire. The riots eventually caused $2.5 million in damage,[10] $3.9 million in 2018 dollars.[11]
1994 Vancouver Stanley Cup riot[12]	June 14, 1994	The National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks lost to the New York Rangers in Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals. In what was supposed to be a congregation of 50 to 70 thousand fans led to riot after a man fell into the crowd. Policemen attempted to aid the man on bicycles, which the fans attempted to take, and the police fired tear gas into the fans, initiating the riot.
2000 UEFA Cup Final riots	May 17, 2000	The Wednesday before the UEFA Cup Final, a fan from Copenhagen was stabbed, and eventually, a group of Galatasaray fans confronted and provoked a group of Arsenal fans in a bar, starting a brawl. Later, approximately 500 Arsenal fans[13] attacked from the main road behind the Galatasaray fans. This caused a severe riot in the city square with several restaurant facilities used by fans to fight each other with iron bars and knives also being used.[14] This lasted about 20 minutes[13] before the police attempted to break up the fight with tear gas.[15] The violence, which reportedly included fans from other Premier League clubs,[16] lasted for 45 minutes.[17] There were further also clashes at the airport the day after the game.[18]
2006 Basel Hooligan Incident	May 13, 2006	Fans of FC Basel 1893 stormed St. Jakob-Park in the waning minutes of a game against FC Zürich. Zürich eventually scored, and ended Basel's chances of a threepeat Swiss Super League championship. In an attack of Zürich player Iulian Filipescu, who scored the winning goal, a flare was thrown at him, and Filipescu and teammate Alhassance Keita was forced to kick at the fans before police detained the hooligans.
2007 A.S. Roma–Manchester United F.C. conflict[19]	April 4, 2007	During a game between A.S. Roma and Manchester United F.C., groups of fans started throwing missiles over a barrier that was to separate the fans, prompting Italian riot police to enter the stadium, which eventually sparked a brawl.
2008 Montreal riot[6]	2008	After the Canadiens defeated the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs, fans began rioting in celebration.
2010 Montreal riot[6]	2010	Montreal was stricken with a fifth riot after the Canadiens defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs.
2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup riot[20]	June 15, 2011	Seventeen years after the 1994 riot, Vancouver was faced with a second riot, after the Canucks lost, also in Game 7, to the Boston Bruins. Unlike in 1994, the fans met at giant screens, where Game 7 was being televised. Shortly before the game's end, fans began throwing bottles at the screen, as well as burning Canuck and Bruin jerseys and flags. The riot eventually escalated when fans began overturning and burning cars. In all, the fans burned 17 cars, as well as a fire truck, and ultimately, 85 rioters were arrested.
2012 European Men's Handball Championship riots[21]	January 24–25, 2012	After a match between Croatia and France, Serbian hooligans attacked several Croatian fans, including a notable incident where a group of Croatian fans who were heading home were attacked by 50 masked men with axes, stones and bricks, and a fan was stabbed, with a Croatian van being set alight.
Port Said Stadium disaster[22]	February 1, 2012	In Port Said, Egypt, 79 people were killed by Al-Masry Club fans using knives, swords, clubs, stones, bottles, and fireworks as weapons, who were attacking the Al-Ahly S.C. players.
2014 World Series civil unrest	October 29–30, 2014	After the San Francisco Giants defeated the Kansas City Royals in the 2014 World Series, Giants fans set fires, vandalized buses and police cars, shattered windows of businesses, scrawled graffiti, and threw bottles at police. Two people were shot, one person was stabbed, and a police officer was badly hurt from fireworks exploding. 40 arrests were made.[23][24]
2016 World Series	November 2–3, 2016	After the Chicago Cubs defeated the Cleveland Indians in the 2016 World Series, there were 14 people were arrested for disorderly and reckless conduct.
Super Bowl LII	February 4–5, 2018	When the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII, fans in Philadelphia reportedly flipped 1 car, tore down traffic lights outside Philadelphia City Hall, and collapsed an awning outside a city hotel. On the same night, 6 fans of the New England Patriots were arrested in Amherst, Massachusetts (more arrested citizens than in Philadelphia on the same night). To add context, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the sixth-most populous U.S. city with a 2019 estimated population of 1,584,064 citizens, while Amherst, Massachusetts has a 2017 estimated population of 40,046 citizens.[25][26]

References

1. Russell, Gordon W. (2004-07-01). "Sport riots: A social–psychological review". Aggression and Violent Behavior. 9 (4): 353–deutsched Reich 378. doi:10.1016/S1359-1789(03)00031-4. ISSN 1359-1789.
2. Roberts, Julian; Benjamin, Cynthia (2000-06-01). "Spectator Violence in Sports: A North American Perspective". European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research. 8 (2): 163–181. doi:10.1023/A:1008753024786. ISSN 0928-1371.
3. Lang, Kurt; Engel Lang, Gladys (1961). Collective dynamics. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell. OCLC 922139509.
4. "CLIO History Journal - Justinian and the nike riots". Cliojournal.wikispaces.com. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
5. "Race riots in dozen cities follow Johnson fight victory". upi.com. United Press International. July 5, 1910. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
6. "Cops gas hundreds of Montreal youths hours after Habs fans celebrate win - ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. 2010-05-13. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
7. Tuite, James (November 9, 1963). "Fans Riot at L.I. Raceway, Battle Police and Set Fires". The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved 2010-04-23.
8. Lebovitz, Hal. "10,000 six packs?" The Plain Dealer June 9, 1974: 2C
9. "Detroit fans have history of combustible behavior, Mike Klingaman, The Baltimore Sun". The Baltimore Sun. 2004-11-25. Retrieved 2020-06-14.
10. "SPORTS PEOPLE: HOCKEY; Cup Riot Bill is $2.5 million". The New York Times. July 4, 1993. p. 8.8.
11. Canadian inflation numbers based on Statistics Canada tables 18-10-0005-01 (formerly CANSIM 326-0021) "Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted". Statistics Canada. November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2020. and 18-10-0004-13 "Consumer Price Index by product group, monthly, percentage change, not seasonally adjusted, Canada, provinces, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit". Statistics Canada. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
12. "There Is No Joy In Vancouver". The New York Times. 1994-06-15.
13. Vivek Chaudhary (2000-05-19). "Surprise attack by Arsenal fans seeking revenge sparked battle". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2012-01-27.
14. "Will hooligans ruin Euro 2000?". BBC News. 2000-06-06.
15. "Three more stabbed in Copenhagen". BBC News. 2000-05-18. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
16. "Violence not over, fans warn". BBC Online. 18 May 2000. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
17. "Charleroi lobby yet to learn lessons of Heysel". London: The Guardian. 2000-05-26. Retrieved 2012-01-27.
18. Vivek Chaudhary and Jamie Wilson (2000-05-19). "Turkish and English fans clash at airport". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2012-01-27.
19. "Fans clash with police at Man Utd". BBC News. 2007-04-11. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
20. "From bad to brutal: Timeline of a riot | British Columbia". Ctvbc.ctv.ca. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
21. "Serbia apologizes to Croatia for attack on fans at European handball championship". St. Albert Gazette. The Associated Press. January 25, 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
22. "Egypt football pitch invasion leaves dozens dead". The Guardian. London. 2012-02-01.
23. S.F. picks up the pieces after raucous Giants revelry, San Francisco Chronicle, October 30, 2014.
24. San Francisco Giants fans take to streets after World Series win, Reuters, October 30, 2014.
25. 'Horrific scenes' and 'rioting': How national, worldwide media portrayed Eagles fans' post-Super Bowl celebrations, The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 6, 2018.
26. UMass Amherst Rioted after the Super Bowl, Again, Boston (magazine), February 5, 2018.