Also in Finland the growing football hooligan problem causes additional costs to society.
Yle’s MOT program discussed the issue on Monday in the episode published on Yle Areena, which is called “Summer of Vengeance”.
When the risk of disorder and violence at matches increases, even more effort will have to be put into policing.
Yle calculated two examples of how much high-risk football matches cost the police. A high-risk match is defined as an event with a higher-than-normal chance of disorder.
According to Yle, the men’s World Cup qualifying match between Finland and Poland played at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium in June cost the police approximately 123,000 euros. There were 150 police officers on the scene, and approximately 1,500 working hours were accumulated.
Polish supporters at the World Cup qualifying match at the Olympic Stadium in June.
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It is also a financial burden.
A similar high-level league match between HJK and Ilves last August cost the police about 13,000 euros. About 20 police officers were there, and about 160 working hours were accumulated.
The match was played in Helsinki at the Bolt Arena.
“That’s it [jalkapallo-otteluiden valvonta] encumberance. We have to tie up the workforce, and that is of course out of the control of others. Or people are taken on overtime. It’s also a financial burden,” Helsinki Police Commissioner Johanna Sinivuori said to the MOT.
Also several other media this year have reported on the clashes seen between different groups of supporters.
Especially in Helsinki, it’s crowded. Suspected extremist supporters of HJK and HIFK have carried out violent attacks, in which bystanders have also been injured.
For example HS reports in July about how a HIFK supporter approached a HJK/Kantsu player during a match in Kallio, Helsinki. The match was from Kolmo, i.e. Finland’s fifth highest league level.
In July, there was also an incident where HIFK supporters who were in a restaurant were attacked in Kallio. Those who were attacked estimated that the attackers were supporters of HJK.
In August, a HIFK player and an employee were allegedly attacked on the streets of Helsinki.
Helsinki’s Sport Bar Töölö was attacked at the beginning of October. In addition to material damage, the attack also caused personal injuries.
Some fan groups burn torches at matches, even though it is prohibited. In the illustration, HJK supporters burning torches from last fall’s match against Ilves.
A new suspected revenge attack was seen at the beginning of October, when a group of hooligans attacked the Sports Bar Töölö in Helsinki. They caused material damage and suspected assaults.
Stones were thrown into the restaurant through the window. Shortly after that, two fans of the hockey team Jokeri, who went out to find out, were beaten up in front of the restaurant.
According to eyewitnesses, those who attacked the restaurant belong to the group of ultra supporters of HIFK.
Phenomenon is worrying. In the past, extremists clashed with each other in remote places and prearranged, but now the so-called ordinary citizens are also in the risk zone.
The number of extreme supporters has increased in recent years. According to Yle, there are 200–300 extremists in Finland today. The youngest of them are only 14 years old.
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In those fights, people who are lying on the ground are kicked in the head and hit.
Image Jalmari Vuola talked about the increase in the number of extremists last January in an interview with Ilta-Sanomi.
“When I started going to the matches, it was HJK and FC Lahti. Those games happened twice a season. So it was quite small and modest. Now every slightly bigger town has someone [äärikannattajien] group”, 32-year-old Vuola told IS.
Vuola says he doesn’t fight anymore. He does not directly regret his past actions, but still does not recommend violence. The risks of permanent injury are high.
“In those fights, people who are lying on the ground are kicked in the head and hit. It is life-threatening. Even one kick or punch can kill. Everyone should consider whether they are ready to eat soup with a straw for the rest of their lives,” Vuola said in January.