2011 Zurich hooligan incident

Football hooligan incident in Zurich, Switzerland On 2 October 2011, the Swiss Football League game between FC Zürich and Grasshopper Club Zürich (known as the Zürich derby) at Letzigrund Stadium saw an incident of football hooliganism. The game had to be abandoned with approximately 15 minutes of regular time to go. Also dubbed the "Disgrace of Zürich" (de Skandal/Schande von Zürich) by Swiss media,Kern Max Wegmann Michael 2 October 2011 Die Schande von Zürich https://www.blick.ch/sport/fussball/superleague/spielabbruch-beim-zuercher-derby-die-schande-von-zuerich-id87053.html 25 June 2024 Blick this incident represented a second major episode of hooligan violence in Switzerland within five years, after a hooligan incident of similar significance occurred in Basel in 2006. Incident During the 74th minute of the match, with Grasshopper Club Zürich leading 2-1, a masked FC Zürich fan threw a lit flare into the Grasshopper Club Zürich fan sector. No one was seriously injured at this stage. However, the incident incited a violent reaction from the Grasshopper Club Zürich fans. Several dozen masked Grasshopper Club Zürich fans rushed towards the fence separating the two groups and attempted to fight back with flagpoles.02.10.11: Schande von Zürich: FCZ-Fan wirft Fackel in GC-Sektor und erzwingt Spielabbruch https://www.watson.ch/!435005929 2024-06-25 Watson de The referee was forced to abandon the match due to safety concerns. Six people were injured in the riot that ensued.2011-10-17 Hooligans - FCZ-Petardenwerfer bleibt weiter in Untersuchungshaft https://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/sport/fussball/fcz-petardenwerfer-bleibt-weiter-in-untersuchungshaft-ld.1866558 2024-06-25 Aargauer Zeitung de FC Zürich was forced to forfeit the match with a 0-3 score and play their next derby match without any spectators. Both teams were also fined 50,000 Swiss Francs.2011-10-03 "Schande von Zürich" https://www.nzz.ch/schande_von_zuerich-ld.671402 2024-06-25 Neue Zürcher Zeitung de-CH 0376-6829 Cause of the incident The FC Zürich fan's actions were reportedly a retaliation for an earlier provocation by Grasshopper Club Zürich fans. Earlier in the day, Grasshopper Club Zürich fans stole FC Zürich fan banners and displayed them with a message mocking FC Zürich. This act is considered a serious offense in ultra fan culture.Stealing Flags & Burning Scarves A Fan Declaration of War. https://www.through-the-turnstiles.com/football-in-society/stealing-flags-amp-burning-scarves-a-fan-declaration-of-war 2024-06-25 Through The Turnstiles en-US Aftermath The incident raised questions about how Switzerland deals with hooligan violence at matches with calls for enhanced security at Letzigrund Stadium.swissinfo.ch S. W. I. 2011-10-06 Security to be upped at violence-hit stadium https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/life-aging/security-to-be-upped-at-violence-hit-stadium/31296308 2024-06-25 SWI swissinfo.ch en-GB In its aftermath, several experts contrasted Switzerland's failure to deal with the problem, with England's ability to gain the upper hand in its struggle against hooliganism in the 1990s.Allen Matthew 2011-10-03 Disjointed approach hampers hooligan crackdown https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/life-aging/disjointed-approach-hampers-hooligan-crackdown/31268772 2024-06-25 SWI swissinfo.ch en-GB The incident also made the news in Germany, with football commentary portal kicker.de featuring a story headlined "The Disgrace of Zurich shocks Switzerland"."Die Schande von Zürich" schockt die Schweiz https://www.kicker.de/die-schande-von-zuerich-schockt-die-schweiz-558701/artikel 2024-06-25 kicker de-DE In 2014, Reuters called it Switzerland's "most serious incident".Davis Toby April 2014 Soccer-Hooliganism still haunts European game https://www.reuters.com/article/sports/soccer/soccer-hooliganism-still-haunts-european-game-idUSL3N0IS5V4/ 8 July 2024 Reuters The FC Zürich fan who threw the flare was eventually identified and sentenced to a 13-month suspended prison sentence and a 500 Swiss Franc fine. His initial sentence was a two-year suspended prison term,Hürlimann Brigitte 2013-04-23 "Schande von Zürich" in der Berufungsrunde https://www.nzz.ch/zuerich/rechtlich-umstrittener-fackelwurf--schande-von-zuerich-in-der-berufungsrunde-ld.1041059 2024-06-25 Neue Zürcher Zeitung de-CH 0376-6829 which he successfully appealed to the Swiss Supreme Court. Switzerland's highest court cancelled his two-year sentence and remanded the case back to the Zurich High Court which then gave him a lower sentence.2014-07-30 Zürich Schaffhausen - Der Fall des Zürcher Fackelwerfers kommt noch einmal vor Gericht https://www.srf.ch/news/zuerich-schaffhausen-der-fall-des-zuercher-fackelwerfers-kommt-noch-einmal-vor-gericht 2024-06-25 Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) de External links Official Report from local Zurich television station (Youtube) References Category:Riots and civil disorder in Switzerland Category:Association football hooliganism Category:Grasshopper Club Zurich Category:FC Zürich Category:Association football riots Category:2011–12 in Swiss football